BlacknwhiteIchiRuki3
by Theresa Crane
Summary: IchiRukiness inside! disclaimer-Kubo Tite owns Bleach
1. You Read My What?

**A/N- Some of you are familiar with my style of writing one shots and some of you are not. This is the 3rd BlacknwhiteIchiRuki collection, not to mention I have made AMVs, that can be found in my profile, along with 2 long stories, one ongoing. I also encourage IchiRuki fans who are registered, to go to my forum and post your opinions! I love interacting with other fans of this GORGEOUS couple! Please enjoy!**

_You Read My What?_

Rukia grins as she sits downstairs when she hears Ichigo's father waking him up as obnoxiously as he always ever did. It's not a school day, so Rukia is in a pale blue short sleeved dress with white trimming.

"Good _morning_, Ichigo!" Isshin's voice blasts full force all the way down the stairs.

The sounds of the men fighting begin immediately afterwards, and Karin lets out a sigh from next to Rukia.

"Another typical morning." Karin mutters as Yuzu looks at the ceiling, when they hear glass shattering.

"I hope they're okay," Yuzu says, and Karin rolls her eyes.

"We probably replace more windows a year than the whole rest of the block, combined." Karin mutters before she takes a drink of her milk.

The girls all look in shock when Isshin enters through the front door.

"Did Ichigo kick you out of the window?" Rukia asks him wide eyed, and Isshin grins at her.

"Of course not Rukia-chan, I dove out the window…though not purposely." Isshin says, causing the girls to laugh as they envision it.

That means Ichigo dodged. This has been happening more and more frequently.

"It's a wonder you aren't dead with as many times as you've flown out the second story window and landed outside." Karin says with her lip curled in annoyance.

"I would not die so easily!" Isshin says, with an offended tone in his voice. Rukia smiles.

"Like father, like son," Rukia mutters under her breath, so she's surprised when Isshin's glance lands quickly on her.

"Rukia-chan, can I talk to you for a few minutes?" Isshin suddenly asks her, and Rukia gives him a look of surprise, but she nods her head yes.

"Sure." Rukia says, and she wonders what it is he could possibly have to say to her.

She stands up and follows him outside, but she doesn't realize that Ichigo has noticed them. He makes sure the shards have been cleared before he leans out the windowsill to listen to their conversation.

"I want you to know that I support you and Ichigo being together." Isshin says, and Rukia's eyes widen.

_This is…unexpected…_

"Oh?" Rukia asks, wondering where this all came from, and he grins slyly at her.

"You don't have to act like you don't know what I'm talking about, I know you're in love with my son." Isshin says, and Ichigo blinks a few times in shock, and nearly falls out the window himself as he leans forward to hear better.

_What if this scares her off for good?! Why is he saying this stuff to her?_

Rukia loses her usual cool for a moment as she stumbles over her words before she can actually speak clearly.

"I…uh…um…what?" Rukia finally says, in an obvious state of disbelief and Ichigo feels his heart drop.

_Of all the ways she could have responded, this was not what I wanted._

"You love Ichigo." Isshin says, and Rukia blushes, even as she stares up at the man.

"What makes you think that?" She asks in a squeak.

_I was so sure I'd completely hidden my feelings! How does he know!?_

Ichigo frowns, and even though he doesn't want to listen anymore, he can't help himself. They are talking about him, after all.

"I don't think. I know." Isshin says confidently, grinning at the way she can't stop blushing.

"How do you…know?" Rukia asks, and Isshin smiles hugely at her.

"Because I read your diary!" Isshin announces, and Rukia's mouth falls open.

"You read my what?!" She asks in a high pitched voice, and Isshin nods.

"Your diary." He says, and Rukia starts shaking her head, as she stares at him in disbelief.

"I don't have a diary." She says, not even sure what he's talking about. If she doesn't know what it is, then she doesn't have it…at least that's how her mind interprets it.

"Sure you do! It seemed to be sealed shut at first, but I was able to pry it open!" Isshin exclaims loudly, and with that explanation, all of the blood drains from Rukia's face.

"Wait a minute…you read that?!" She asks in a near wail, and Isshin smiles at her.

"I did. I also thought your spells were very lovely." He says, and Rukia stares at him with worry.

She has never told anybody that she has invented a couple of kidou spells…it was her secret!

But it appears the head of the household has not only read what is in her private book, he has also read her daily thoughts at the bottom of her musings.

She writes any and new ideas in this book, and being around Ichigo has been very inspirational. She doesn't know how he even was able to open the book, because she had used a brand new kidou spell that she had personally created to seal it shut!

"Lovely?" Rukia asks in a bare whisper, and Ichigo wonders what in the hell they're talking about.

_Did she or didn't she write that she loves me!? That's all that matters anyways!_

"Very insightful anyways. You certainly impressed me." Isshin says with a nod, and Rukia looks at him suspiciously.

"You understood what I was writing about?" She asks curiously, and Isshin nods emphatically.

"Especially the part about loving Ichigo!" Isshin says with a shit grin on his face, and Rukia's eyes widen in horror.

"So you're in love with me Rukia?" Ichigo calls out, and the Shinigami he's speaking doesn't look at him, instead her spine stiffens up.

She glares at Isshin, who tries to look innocent. (He's unsuccessful)

"He heard you." Rukia hisses, but Isshin pays what she said no attention.

"Answer him Rukia-chan! He looks really curious to know! I think you two should get married! The sooner the better! Then have lots of sex!" Isshin declares, and Rukia scowls at that, before she spins around to look up at Ichigo.

She's beyond shocked at what look she sees on his face. He clearly looks…hopeful.

"That isn't the kind of question that should be screamed from a window!" Rukia hisses at him, even though she can't stop blushing.

"Why not?!" Isshin asks, remembering how he yelled up into Masaki's bedroom that he loved her a long time ago.

Ichigo shocks her again by hopping out of the window, and landing next to her. Before she knows what's happened, he grabs her hand and begins running down the sidewalk to put some distance between them and his father.

Rukia of course, inwardly worries the whole time, and she really wishes his father hadn't broadcasted what he'd read when Ichigo was in hearing distance.

When he finally stops running, he breathes deeply for a moment, before he catches his breath and pins her with an amazingly intense stare.

"I want to know how you feel about me…particularly if it's a feeling as strong as that." Ichigo says, and Rukia looks away.

She finds herself being forced to look at him, because he has a hold of her chin, and he's not exactly gentle about turning her attention completely to him. Not only that, but he normally doesn't touch her in that type of way, so she's too shocked to react quickly.

Ichigo can tell he's surprised her, because her mouth is slightly open, and her eyes are very wide. He has noticed before what an unusual shade of blue her eyes are, and that she is a very pretty woman, but he hadn't noticed her falling in love with him.

_When did it happen for her? Did it happen at the same time as me?_

"Ichigo?" Rukia asks nervously, since his eyes seem to be saying so much when his lips are saying so little.

"Answer me, Rukia." Ichigo says in a demanding voice, and Rukia just breathes heavily in nervousness.

All of his attention is on her…it's like he's trying to stare into her soul, and it makes her feel a bit strange. It feels like he could so easily discover all of what she's about, and that thought scares her a bit.

"I don't want to." Rukia says softly, and he looks wounded.

"Why not?" He asks, and Rukia tries not to chuckle before she answers his question.

"Because…I am a firm believer that a guy should be the first to admit his feelings." Rukia tells him, and he raises an eyebrow.

"That doesn't make sense…what if the guy is too blind to notice?" He asks in a ragged whisper, and Rukia shrugs.

"I can wait." She says simply, before she turns on her heel to head back to his house. He scowls after her retreating figure.

"Rukia!" Ichigo calls out rather loudly, and she stops.

"What?" She asks without turning around.

"Tell me." He says, and she sighs.

"Why?" She asks, since it's obvious he already knows.

"Because I want to…no…I need to hear it." He tells her in an earnest voice, and so she turns around.

Their eyes lock for a moment, and Rukia can see the need right there on his face…he isn't even trying to hide it.

"What if you break my heart?" Rukia asks softly, and his face immediately gets warm as he looks at her with a hint of a smile showing on his face.

"I could never do that." He assures her, and she takes a deep breath before she speaks again.

"Idiot…I have fallen for you." Rukia says softly, and he takes the remaining steps to be close enough to hold her.

"I fell for you a long time ago. You had to have noticed." He tells her in a low voice, and she smiles.

_Perhaps I did, but I didn't know if you ever noticed…_

Then, in broad daylight, he grabs her and presses her into his chest, even as he sighs in relief. All of the tension he's been holding from not telling her seems to have lifted…and knowing she feels the same way makes it seem unbelievable.

_Maybe next time I can get her to say it without calling me an idiot…_


	2. Mind Reader

**A/N- When I came up with this idea, I had to write it out. It is IchiRuki, but focuses on Urahara and then Inoue before IchiRuki. Please enjoy!**

_Mind Reader_

Urahara is a bit low on money, and when Inoue Orihime walked into the store, he suddenly came up with a wonderfully wicked idea. Sure he likes Inoue Orihime, but he has also noticed that she is in love with Kurosaki-san…a dangerous obsession that needs to end as early as possible. So why not make some money, and end the obsession at the same time?

_Two birds, one stone. I don't have to tell them about it, this can just be another way I repay Kurosaki-san for all that he's done for me._

"Ah, Inoue-san! It's always a pleasure to see you! I think I have something that might really interest you!" Urahara says as he flips open his fan and smiles widely.

"Actually I didn't come here to purchase any-" Inoue starts to say but Urahara stops her.

"Yes, it's something you can rent for one day, for one thousand yen! You have that much don't you? It's this right here!" Urahara says, holding up a shiny gold bracelet that Inoue instantly likes.

"Wow that's really pretty. So sparkly and shiny!" Inoue says, practically mesmerized by the gold of the bracelet.

"Well it's my very own design! This is no ordinary bracelet you know! It has a special…feature." Urahara says, and Inoue is still in a trancelike state over the shiny gold of the bracelet as she responds.

"Really?" Inoue asks, and Urahara smiles.

"That's right. The person who wears it gains a special ability. The ability to be able to read the minds of others!" Urahara says triumphantly, and Inoue's eyes widen.

"Read the minds…" She says slowly but Kisuke holds up his hand.

"However…it won't be what they are thinking about in that moment. The thoughts you will be reading are their current most secret thoughts. It zeroes in on the most pertinent private thoughts as they pertain to the interests of the bracelet wearer." Urahara explains, and Inoue blinks a few times.

"Wow…that sounds…invasive." Inoue breathes, and Urahara laughs nervously.

"Isn't there anyone you'd like to see while wearing it? I'll let you rent it for the day for a thousand yen along with the condition that you don't look at me while wearing it." Urahara says, and Inoue gives him a suspicious look over that.

_To know Kurosaki-kun's thoughts about me…_

Urahara watches as Inoue's face gives away the conflict she's feeling over the idea of gaining such an advantage. The ability to learn someone's most secret thoughts is a huge deal.

"There is someone." Inoue admits softly, as she envisions the orange haired Shinigami that has stolen her heart.

"So…we have a deal?" Urahara asks, and Inoue nods her head before she digs into her purse.

She makes the mistake of looking right at Urahara as he puts the bracelet on her, and she's suddenly filled with visions of her, Yoruichi-san, and Urahara in the middle of a threesome. Then she hears the actual thoughts he's been keeping secret.

_To have Yoruichi-san and Inoue-san making love to me at the same time…_

"Oh! Gross!" Inoue exclaims, and Urahara looks rather disturbed.

"You agreed not to look at me." He reminds her, and Inoue blushes.

"Sorry…too late." She tells him, and he lets out a sigh.

"Well…whatever you saw, never speak of it please." He tells her, and Inoue simply nods her head. Like she could.

"I…I'll return the bracelet tomorrow!" Inoue says, before she rushes off as quickly as she can to get away from Urahara and his perverted thoughts.

Unfortunately for her, Urahara's perverted thoughts are a walk in the park compared to the thoughts of the men she passes on her way home. There are several old men who have perverted enough thoughts to make her want vomit her dinner, and she's discouraged that even young boys have some discouraging thoughts about her impressive bust size.

Right as Inoue is about to make it back into her apartment so that she can change into some clothes that conceal her bust a little bit better, she hears someone yell her name. She turns around and spots Chizuru, and runs to get through her door, without having to speak to her school friend.

_She already tells me the perverted thoughts she has…I don't even want to know what she's keeping secret! I'll have to apologize to her tomorrow!_

Inoue frowns as she studies her clothing. She finally locates a sports bra and puts it on to help smash her breasts more closely to her body. It doesn't have a huge effect, but when she puts on jeans and a tee-shirt, her breasts don't appear to be jumping off of her body anymore, and she hopes she can pass some people without them having disturbing thoughts about her bust.

Then she has a sudden realization.

_Chances are Kurosaki-kun is like the rest of them…I wonder what kinds of secret thoughts he has about me…I can't wait to find out!_

As Inoue walks towards the Kurosaki house, she's discouraged that the people she sees, all seem to view her as a sexual object. She finds herself beginning to lose her temper, a rare thing for her.

She finds herself wanting to scream, and finally she does snap at one teenage boy who's gawking with such sexually explicit thoughts that Inoue feels like she's been corrupted for good. Then she's gifted with images of what he'd like to do to her as well.

_I want to rub my hard dick up against those tits! What a great rack! I bet they practically flop over her shoulder when she's being fucked!_

"I'm more than my breasts you know!" She says to him, feeling like maybe she didn't make the best decision when she decided to rent the bracelet.

"You wouldn't know it to look at you." The kid snaps back with a challenging look on his face, and Inoue runs past him in an effort to get to the Kurosaki residence faster, but that turns out to be a mistake.

She begins to hear new thoughts from the men she passes as she runs, even though the bouncing isn't quite as bad as it would be if she wasn't wearing the sports bra.

_Yeah you sexy bitch, run for me! I want a piece of that! _

Inoue feels like she's going to lose control.

_As long as Kurosaki-kun thinks like this too…then I can cheer up! _

Even so, she's in a bit of shock since she never knew before this day just how perverted in general men really are, or that they perceived her to be a sex toy to such an extent.

When she makes it to the door of the Kurosaki home, she struggles to catch her breath so that her chest isn't heaving in case Isshin answers the door. When she's finally calmed down, she knocks on the door. A moment later Yuzu opens the door with a smile.

"Orihime-chan!" Yuzu says brightly, and Inoue is surprised that even the girl has secret thoughts about her, though they aren't nearly as upsetting as the men she's passed today while wearing the bracelet.

_I wonder if it hurts to have breasts as big as those…even though I think she's pretty, I feel a little bit sorry for her…_

"Is Kurosaki-kun home?" Inoue asks, and Yuzu nods.

"He's in his room with Rukia-chan!" Yuzu says, and Inoue's face falls.

_That sounded so natural…like it's only natural that Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san hang out in his room together…alone._

"Is it okay to interrupt?" Inoue asks, wringing her hands, and Yuzu grins.

"I'll let him know you're here." Yuzu says, and she allows Inoue to enter the house, before she dashes up the stairs to get her brother, who decides to come greet Inoue instead of having her come to his room.

Inoue is relieved that Isshin isn't in sight, because she only wants one man in the household to have perverted thoughts that she can read. Her heartbeat starts to quicken when she hears multiple sets of footsteps coming down the stairs, and she takes a deep breath in preparation.

When she sees the man she's been waiting to see, she's shocked that he seems to be unlike the rest of the men she's encountered while wearing the mind reading bracelet.

_Inoue eats the weirdest shit…I don't know what all my friends see in her. Huge breasts like that are gross, and she could pass for my sister with that hair of hers. _

"Yo, Inoue." Ichigo says, and Inoue just gawks at him for a second.

_Why does he have to be the only one unaffected by my womanly attributes?! He's the only one I want, and he doesn't think of me in that way at all!_

Rukia pops out from behind Ichigo and instantly notices the gold bracelet on Inoue's wrist.

"What a pretty bracelet, where did you get it?" Rukia asks, and Inoue blushes.

"I just borrowed it from a friend. I thought I liked it but I don't think I do." She tells them, and Rukia smiles.

"Can I try it on?" She asks, and Inoue's eyes widen.

"It's not actually mine, and I don't think that letting someone else wear it is a good idea-" Inoue starts to protest, but Rukia is at her side in a flash, unclasping the bracelet from her wrist.

"It'll just be for a second. I won't tell if you don't." Rukia says, as she puts it on and clasps it onto herself.

Inoue holds her breath as Rukia's gaze goes from the bracelet's clasp to Ichigo, and then her eyes widen, before she jerks her head towards Inoue.

"It looks nice on you." Ichigo says, and Rukia scowls before she looks back at him, and then she starts to turn red.

"What on earth do you think of me!?" Rukia demands, and Ichigo's eyes widen.

Inoue wants to run, but her feet seem frozen in place. It seems she can't walk away without listening to what Rukia says to Ichigo, and she certainly can't leave without getting the bracelet back.

"What do you mean?!" Ichigo snaps back, and Rukia proceeds to turn redder.

"I can hear your thoughts idiot!" Rukia snaps, and Ichigo blinks a few times.

"What did you say?" He asks, since he's sure he heard her right, but he still doesn't comprehend how she could hear his thoughts.

Rukia glances up at him again, and then her eyes get all wide in shock, before she realizes what all he's been hiding from her.

Inoue bites her lip as Rukia turns back towards her.

"Is it this?!" Rukia asks, pointing at the bracelet, and Inoue can feel herself starting to sweat.

"Why do you think I don't like it?" Inoue asks, and then she realizes that the black haired Shinigami is staring at her funny.

"I think I see…" Rukia says in a quiet voice, and Inoue begins to panic.

"I won't tell if you don't." Inoue says in a rush, hoping that if she repeats her friend's words back to her, that she won't reveal exactly what's happened.

"Why are you so annoyed?" Ichigo asks Rukia, and she refuses to look at him as she takes off the bracelet.

"Well for one, you have a disgusting mind. For another…someone I thought was my friend…secretly wishes to take someone very dear to me from me." Rukia says in a low and furious voice, and Inoue's feet finally move…a few steps back.

"Kuchiki-san! It's not like that!" Inoue protests, feeling like she created this mess for herself.

"You're not making any sense! Why are you saying I have a disgusting mind?! And I'd never take anything from you!" Ichigo protests, and Rukia rolls her eyes as she tosses the bracelet to Inoue.

"You are an idiot, Ichigo. Inoue is in love with you, and she doesn't like how close we are. She'd like to take my place in your life, and she's harbored romantic feelings about you for a long time. I won't repeat your disgusting thoughts though." Rukia snaps at him, even as she blushes again.

"I…have to go!" Inoue says, mortified at the way her day has gone, ever since she put on the stupid bracelet.

Ichigo stands in shock for a full minute before he finds his voice. Rukia was patient enough to wait for him to find his tongue though.

"Why would you say stuff like that!?" He finally asks, since the mere idea of being with Inoue is enough to make him curl his lip in displeasure.

"Why!? Are you serious!? I said it because it was true. Every last thing I said was true!" She snaps, and he crosses his arms stubbornly.

"There was nothing true about me having disgusting thoughts!" He defends, and Rukia gawks at him.

"Oh yeah? Then what do you call them? We're both naked in them!" She says, her voice raising in tone quite a bit, and he takes a step back, she doesn't share the rest of what she's thinking…yet.

_Except for the one where you imagined me holding our newborn baby..._

"What?!" He asks, unable to believe that she knows about his fantasies…

"That's not all either! It's so embarrassing that I can't even repeat it!" She tells him, and he raises an eyebrow.

"Okay first of all, thoughts about you and I naked together are not disgusting! Secondly, I never admitted to having any of those kinds of thoughts!" Ichigo says, but he feels his face heat up, and he knows he's not being very convincing.

"You didn't have to. The bracelet Inoue had, had the ability to give its wearer the ability to read minds." She tells him, and he still looks confused.

"Rukia…I honestly wasn't thinking anything sexual when you were wearing it." He tells her, and she shakes her head.

"You're going to make me say it aren't you?" Rukia asks in a small voice, and he sighs in exasperation.

"Maybe you should have let me put that stupid bracelet on before you gave it back to Inoue, if you're expecting me to read _your_ mind!" Ichigo snaps, and Rukia looks at him with surprise.

"So you have never had thoughts about lifting me up in the air while we're both naked, and pushing me up against the wall while you ram your body against mine?" She asks him in a suspicious voice, and that fantasy is so damned familiar that he can't stop himself from blushing.

"I wasn't thinking that when you were wearing the bracelet!" Ichigo says frantically, wondering how in the hell she knows about his most common masturbation fantasy.

"But you _have_ thought it." Rukia says it as a statement, not a question.

"Not quite…" Ichigo mutters, and Rukia's gaze snaps to him. The bracelet's vision had been clear as day to her, so she won't tolerate him lying to her.

"No?" Rukia asks, and he sighs.

"In that…fantasy, I'm not just ramming my body against yours…to be more accurate, I'm ramming something into you." He says cautiously.

Rukia looks annoyed, disturbed, and curious all at the same time as she stares at him.

"Why do you have to get vulgar! I'm not as innocent as I might appear!" Rukia snaps, and he looks like he's been shot when he hears that.

"What?" He asks, and Rukia rolls her eyes.

"I just didn't want to put it that way!" Rukia says, and Ichigo's eyes widen as his mind goes to the way he wants to put himself inside of her.

"But what do you mean you're not innocent? Are you…experienced?" He asks in a soft voice, since he really had not ever gotten the feeling that she was.

"Huh?" Rukia asks, since she has no clue what he's asking her now.

"You're the one who said you're not as innocent as you appear…I'm just asking what you meant by that." Ichigo says, and Rukia raises an eyebrow at him.

"I meant that I know what sex is!" Rukia snaps, and he turns bright red as he regards her.

"Have you ever…done it?" He asks, and Rukia blushes very hard at that question.

"I don't think that's any of your business…" Rukia says, before she trails off, but then her head goes to the fact that he dreams of her being the mother of his child.

"Aren't we close enough that you can share that much?" He asks, and Rukia stares him straight in the eyes.

"Isn't it true that you want to be much closer? That you envision me as the woman who gives birth to your first son or daughter?" She asks him pointedly, and his face goes red in an instant.

He turns away from her, appalled that she knows so much about his private thoughts.

_Why did Inoue bring such a fucked up bracelet over here, and why in the hell did Rukia have to put it on?!_

"I asked you a question first. You answer me, then I'll answer you." He tells her, and Rukia considers that for a moment before she sighs.

"When I said I wasn't innocent, I wasn't referring to personal sexual experience. I grew up in one of the worst areas of Rukongai, and there were many, many times where I witnessed other people having sex." Rukia tells him with a frown, and he looks appalled.

"What do you mean witnessed? Do you mean you watched?" He asks, and she blushes.

"Well at first, yeah! I didn't know what was happening! Someone had to explain it to me." She says in a low voice, and he grits his teeth.

"Who explained it?" Ichigo asks suspiciously, and Rukia shakes her head.

"Nobody you know. Just a stranger who spotted me watching and told me I shouldn't stare, and then he explained why." Rukia tells him, but she doesn't tell him that the same man tried to tell her that if she was that interested he could show her, since he liked little girls, and she'd been forced to kick his ass to keep from being dragged back to his shack with him.

"Oh." Ichigo says, finding himself relieved that her experience is only limited to seeing sex, and not actually having it for herself.

"Your turn. It's time for you to explain yourself, your thoughts about me, and what you want from me." Rukia says, giving him a straight look and crossing her arms.

He instantly starts blushing again.

_It's not fair that she's seen my thoughts! I wanted it to happen naturally, not be forced!_

"Sorry…I'm a guy. That explains myself and my thoughts. What I want from you…I'm not sure. It's only natural though, that I'd imagine you as the mother of my firstborn, because you're the most important woman in the world to me. They were just my inner thoughts…that's all." He says simply, not liking that his mind has been completely invaded.

Rukia lets out a sigh of relief. She has a lot of information to mull over in her brain, so she's glad that he isn't making some astounding confession of love, even though she knows…without a doubt…that he loves her.

"Alright." Rukia says, and then she walks around him to go back up the stairs and into his room, where she grabs her manga off the floor, and she hops into the closet with it.

_I can't even read now…because Ichigo thinks of me that way…_

Ichigo gets into his room just after she slides the closet shut, and he rolls his eyes. He can tell that she's a bit shaken up by what's happened, and he can't help but wonder if maybe he wouldn't be too, if he could read someone's most private thoughts.

He keeps his eyes on the door, which never opens, while fervently hoping she gets used to the idea of being with him forever, very soon.

_The Next Day…_

"Please don't rent that thing out to anyone else ever again…it has made me lose faith in number of decent men that exist." Inoue says to Urahara as she returns the bracelet, and Yoruichi saunters in the room, in cat form.

"Don't tell me you've switched teams, and are going to turn gay! If so, I can get the orientation started right away! I swing both ways!" Yoruichi announces, and Inoue's eyes bulge out of her head.

"No thank you…I haven't lost all faith." Inoue says a bit hastily, and Yoruichi laughs.

"So what happened?" She asks, and Urahara grins.

"Yes, I'm curious too! Tell us!" He says, and Inoue frowns.

"Well first of all…Kurosaki-kun doesn't have any pleasant secret thoughts about me. That wasn't the worst part of it though, it was that Kuchiki-san unclasped the bracelet from my wrist before I could stop her, and put it on." Inoue says, blinking fast to keep from crying.

The door to the shop opens, with Ichigo and Rukia standing side by side. Urahara laughs as he flips his fan shut.

"Drama!" He says in a soft voice to Yoruichi, who stares in fascination at the stare down between the teens in the room.

"Urahara-san…Rukia and I have been arguing all morning long about the fact that she violated my privacy when she looked at me wearing that bracelet." Ichigo says, and Rukia quickly interjects.

"But I didn't know it had that ability when it happened! I didn't set out to violate your privacy…" Her unspoken words can be heard clearly, without her having to say them.

…_like Inoue did._

"I told her it doesn't matter if she didn't know, that it's not fair, and she still argued the point, so I asked her how she'd like it if I was able to see her thoughts and she said she didn't care-" Ichigo is cut off.

"I _don't_ care!" Rukia snaps, and Urahara smiles.

"Well I made Inoue-san pay for the right to use it, but she had it for an entire day. I suppose I can let you have it for a few minutes for a hundred yen." Urahara says, and Rukia glares.

"That's highway robbery!" Rukia snaps, and Ichigo rolls his eyes.

"Chill out Rukia, I've got it, and he has to make a living too. I can't always demand Urahara-san help me out for free." He says, and Rukia stifles herself.

"I'm really sorry-" Inoue says, but Rukia holds up her hand.

"Look Inoue…it's a little bit too late to say sorry." Rukia says, as Ichigo digs the yen from his pocket.

"Don't say that Kuchiki-san! It was just a thought! It's not as if I could ever replace you, in Kurosaki-kun's mind…or his heart! I am well aware of that!" Inoue says, even though it breaks her heart to say it.

"I really don't know what to think about all I've learned, but I'm not ready to forgive and forget." Rukia says honestly, not noticing as Urahara secures the bracelet on Ichigo's wrist.

The first thing Ichigo learns about Urahara is that he secretly hopes to be completely forgiven by Soul Society, and pardoned for his past crimes, due to the fact that he trained Ichigo and sent him to Soul Society.

_Kurosaki-san is the answer to me being accepted back into Soul Society again!_

Ichigo finds that this truth doesn't annoy him or hurt him at all. Urahara must miss Soul Society a great deal.

His eyes slide over Inoue, and he's pelted with her thoughts.

_I love Kurosaki-kun! I want to marry Kurosaki-kun! I want to be the only woman Kurosaki-kun wants to look at!_

He can't take it for more than a couple of seconds, but he couldn't look at Rukia without his glance sliding past Inoue too, due to her positioning. When his eyes settle on the dark haired Shinigami he's fallen for, he's completely shocked.

_I never want to lose Ichigo…I want him to be at my side forever. I'm never as happy as what I am when I'm with Ichigo._

"So, how is it?!" Urahara asks, getting Rukia's attention, since she'd been busy glaring at Inoue.

Ichigo watches as she meets his eyes, and he's hit with another one of her secret thoughts.

_As much as I want to be by Ichigo's side, I still don't know if I'm deserving…after what happened with Kaien-dono…_

Then Ichigo is gifted with a vision of the Kaien-dono that she refers to in her thoughts, and he knows he's stumbled on the mother of all skeletons, since the man is scarily similar to his own appearance.

From the vision alone, he can tell that it's huge, and he really doesn't even know how to tell her what he's privy to now that he's been staring at her while wearing the damned bracelet.

"Take this thing off of me." Ichigo says in a low voice, but he's curious about this Kaien-dono that he resembles.

"Alright." Urahara says, and then Ichigo spins around to glare at Rukia.

"Why didn't you stop me?!" He demands, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"What?!" She asks, looking confused as can be as the cursed bracelet comes off.

"Why didn't you stop me from putting on that damned bracelet!? That wasn't the right way to find out something so personal about you." Ichigo tells her, and her face goes pale for a second.

"What do you mean?" She asks nervously, but he doesn't answer her. Instead he nods at Urahara.

"We have to go." Ichigo says, before he grabs Rukia's wrist and pulls her out of the store, with Inoue staring after them wearing an expression of pain.

They don't say anything for a long moment as he pulls her in the direction of his house, but Rukia feels like she's going to explode if she doesn't get some answers fast.

"What were you talking about in there?" She asks, but he just presses his lips together and continues dragging her towards his house.

"We'll talk in private." He finally mutters after a few minutes of silence, and Rukia swallows, since she has no clue what has him in a snit.

Rukia doesn't know why, but she dreads the talk to come. The walk there ends too quickly, and before she knows it, they're alone together in his room, with Ichigo looking more agitated than she's ever seen him looking before.

"Why are you so upset?" Rukia asks, unable to understand how his mood changed so quickly.

"Because…you let me put on that damned bracelet. You let me put it on, and that's how I came to see who I resembled from your past." Ichigo says in a furious voice, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"But…I wasn't even thinking about that when you looked at me!" Rukia says in shock, and Ichigo rolls his eyes.

"Maybe now you believe that I wasn't thinking about the things you saw in me at the time you looked at me either." He points out, and Rukia shakes her head.

"I think you're misunderstanding something. It's true you closely resemble a man from my past, but the thing is…that man was the former Lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division." Rukia says in a soft voice, and Ichigo's eyes pop out at her.

"Is that…all he was to you?" Ichigo asks carefully, and Rukia sighs.

"Well…I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a crush on him, but he was married, and I was still very young. It's not as though I transferred any feelings I had for him onto you." Rukia points out, and Ichigo scowls at her.

"All I have to do is remember how you treated me when you first met me to know that's a fact. If you transferred your feelings for him onto me, I'd like to think you would have been a great deal nicer after you scared the shit out of me in my bedroom." He mutters, and Rukia sighs.

"Instead I developed a bond with you that far surpasses anything I ever had with Kaien-dono." Rukia says, even as she closes her eyes and remembers what Kaien meant to her.

"Fine…but I'm still trying to figure out why you didn't just tell me what you were hiding, instead of letting me find out with that bracelet." He mutters, and Rukia gives him a look of surprise.

"That isn't on my mind every second of the day. I certainly didn't expect you to gain knowledge of it." She says, and he shakes his head.

"You experienced what happened when you wore it!" He reminds her, and she shrugs.

"I'm sorry you had to find out that way though. I really didn't expect it." She says, and he sighs.

"That's not all I learned about you." He says in a low voice, and that has her staring at him intently.

"What else did you learn?" She asks curiously, and he smiles at her.

"I won't tell you." He says smugly, and Rukia gasps.

"What!?" She asks, and he keeps on grinning.

"All I'll say…is that I want you by my side…and I don't ever want that to change." He says, before he gets up and walks out the door.

Rukia stares after him, and she's really surprised when she feels tears coming down her cheeks.

_Why am I crying when he just made me so happy?_

It doesn't take long for her to wipe the tears away and suppress the overflow of emotions that brought them on. She's aware that she was always worried that she wouldn't be able to keep the incredible closeness that she'd gained from her association with Ichigo, and now he's reassured her that she'll always have it.

_Yes Ichigo, we'll always be together…and I will share your dream of being the one to give you your firstborn son or daughter._


	3. As Requested: Where The Heart Is

**A/N-I had a request a while back to do a story where we get the perspective of someone who is dead on the IchiRuki relationship. This of course happens via dream sequence and is dedicated to the person that requested it.**

_Where The Heart Is_

Rukia knows the moment she sees him that she's dreaming, because he's smiling at her in the same way he always did.

_Kaien-dono…_

It's not an uncommon occurrence for her to dream of her former lieutenant, after all, she did take his life, and upon dying, he left his heart with her.

"Kuchiki!" Kaien says, and she can tell he's about to smack her so she backs up a bit, prepared to shunpo out of his reach.

"What, Kaien-dono!?" Rukia asks nervously, since he's grinning, yet still looking like he might hit her.

"Why aren't you following what I've taught you?" He asks her in an accusing voice, and Rukia looks stunned.

"I have always followed what you taught me!" Rukia protests, and he raises an eyebrow.

"Not only should you be where your heart is, you should be honest with your heart! It goes without saying, Kuchiki!" Kaien snaps at her, and Rukia looks taken aback.

"What…what are you talking about, Kaien-dono!?" Rukia asks, feeling utterly confused.

"No matter what, you have to tell him how you feel. You saw it with me didn't you? Didn't you see how quickly someone can disappear from your life! Why haven't you told him how you feel yet?" Kaien asks, and Rukia gawks a bit.

"Him?" She asks, and Kaien is able to shoot forward in time to hit her on the head.

"Yes, _him_. You thought I didn't know?" Kaien asks her, and Rukia turns bright red before she looks away.

"I didn't ask you for your advice." She mutters, and he laughs at her.

"But because I am the lovable lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division, I'll offer it even if you didn't ask!" He announces, and she smiles at his constant energy.

"It's unnecessary!" Rukia insists, and this time he smacks her hard on the head.

"You'd only have the right to say that if that were true! It is absolutely necessary for me to ask you what you're waiting for! Life is precious…and I thought you understood that!" Kaien yells into her face, and Rukia looks taken aback.

"I do…but…I already consume Ichigo's life in so many different ways. I just appeared in his life and never asked him what he thought about the whole thing. For me to tell him that I love him…" Rukia trails off and blushes.

"So you're afraid, Kuchiki? Haven't you faced scarier things?" He asks, and she shakes her head no.

"Nothing is more scary than the idea that Ichigo might harbor some resentment towards me. Maybe if I push for more, he'll feel like I've gone past the line of what's appropriate. I think I should wait for him to say something." Rukia says, and Kaien puts his face in his hand.

"You know what I think Kuchiki?" He asks, and Rukia sighs.

"No, but you're going to tell me." She says, and he glares at her with his eyes flashing.

"I think you need to stop with the excuses. Finding true love is an amazing feat, don't you think so?" He asks her, with a knowing smirk, which makes her sputter a bit at him.

"Don't put words in my mouth!" Rukia protests, and Kaien gives her an evil grin.

"I don't need you to answer me…but who was the last man that entered your thoughts every time you were on the verge of dying? You should tell him about that, at the very least." He asks her with a knowing look, and Rukia looks away from him.

"Wouldn't saying that to him change things?" Rukia asks, and Kaien raises an eyebrow.

"Probably…but for the better." Kaien says with so much certainty that Rukia just gawks at him.

"How can you be so sure?" She asks, and Kaien laughs.

"You're doubting me, the man who has been called a genius by others?" Kaien asks, and Rukia looks away.

"I can't exactly afford the consequences…if you're wrong." Rukia says in a shaky voice, and Kaien laughs before he hits her on the head again.

"It's not wrong to be honest about your feelings." He tells her, and she waves her hand at him.

"I don't know why I'm taking you so seriously anyways, this is a dream…I already know." She says, and he hits her again.

"I live on in your heart. Your heart is the most important thing…so when you wake up from this dream, stop running. Go to him, and tell him how you feel. Do it because you believe in what your mentor tells you." He says, and she looks up at him.

"Kaien-dono…" Rukia breathes, and he gives her a reassuring smile.

"You're an incredible woman…I'm sure that hasn't escaped his attention. If he has any sense in his brain at all, then he will return your feelings. I don't have any doubts." Kaien says, and Rukia realizes she wanted to talk some more, but it's no use…her eyes are opening and the dream has ended.

She sits up and glances at Ichigo's sisters who are both fast asleep, and she realizes it's still the middle of the night and the house is completely silent. Without thinking deeply about it, she stands up and silently leaves the room, to go to Ichigo's bedroom.

She doesn't make a noise as she enters his room, shuts the door behind her, and pads over to his bedside to look down at him. She doesn't wake him up instantly, because looking at him while he sleeps turns out to be strangely amusing since he's in dream mode and his body is reacting to his dream. He's not wearing a shirt, so his muscular shoulders are in her sight, with the moonlight streaming through his window.

She takes a deep breath to prepare herself, and she can actually hear the words Kaien said to her, repeating in her mind as she stares at him. She tries to figure out the best way to wake him up so that she can talk to him, but no matter what she comes up with, she can envision an argument occurring once he wakes up.

_Kaien-dono told me to stop making excuses…_

She reaches down to shake his shoulder, but he doesn't wake up. Instead, he starts to snore…_loudly_.

"Ichigo…wake up…" Rukia sighs as he's not waking up.

_What am I supposed to do now? If I yell at him I'll wake up the whole house! _

Rukia turns around to go back to her bedroom, but then stops when she thinks about the fact that what Kaien said was absolutely true.

_What if he got killed in his sleep since he's as deep a sleeper as a bear in the wintertime!? I refuse to leave this room until I've told him how I feel!_

She doesn't intend to do anything stupid like crawl into bed with him, or touch him, because she doesn't want him to wake up freaked out and pissed off. Instead she walks over to his drawer, and grabs a couple of his socks.

_Freaked out and pissed off would be bad…but…just pissed off…well it's going to be that no matter what, because he's not exactly in the best of moods upon waking up. Furthermore, he may react on instinct as though I'm his father, so I have to be prepared for that._

Rukia has doubts about her plan, even as she shoves one sock inside the other, and pushes it down so that it's like a weird shaped ball at the feet. She holds the sock by the opening and swings it around a few times.

_Maybe I should rethink this…_

She tries hard to come up with a better idea, but she's never even tried waking him up in the past, she's always let other people do that, unless it was about a hollow. Then he always woke up to the sound of the hollow alert, but she can't make a false alarm sound.

_Kaien would definitely not accept this as a reasonable excuse for not telling him anything. Even if it's a bad plan, it's better than no plan._

Rukia gets some speed as she swings the sock around, and advances back towards Ichigo's bed. She gets really close and then she lets the makeshift sock weapon that she made smack him square in the middle of the face.

His eyes snap open and Rukia jumps back in case he swings, but he doesn't do that, instead he's out of his bed in an instant, diving at her…tackling her to the floor. They land with a loud crash.

Rukia blinks a few times as she stares into Ichigo's eyes, which look quite furious.

"It's me Ichigo!" Rukia hisses, but he doesn't let her up. Instead he stays over her with his eyes flashing.

"I know it's you. If it had been anyone else, they'd have a bloody face right about now…" Ichigo says in a low voice, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"What?" She asks, and he just glares at her for a long moment, while he tries to understand what in the hell happened.

"I'm the one who should be asking questions. First of all…why are you in my room in the middle of the night when there's no hollow killing to do, secondly…why in the fuck did you wake me up like that?" Ichigo asks her, and Rukia squirms under him.

"Can you let me up first?" She asks, and he shakes his head.

"Not yet. Answer me." He says in a short voice, and she blinks a few times.

"Way of binding-" Rukia starts to chant but Ichigo slaps his hand over her mouth and quickly gets off of her.

"If you chant any kidou spells, I'm going to be so pissed off…" He grumbles, and she just sighs in relief that he's not on top of her like that anymore. Thinking straight while under him was _really_ hard.

"Did we wake anyone up with all of that racket?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo stops to listen.

"I don't think so." He says, and Rukia sighs in relief.

"Thank goodness for that." She says, but Ichigo crosses his arms and glares at her.

"Mind explaining what the hell you're doing in here and why you woke me up like that now?" Ichigo asks her in a surly voice, and Rukia frowns.

_Well…he's annoyed, but I think I can say it…_

"I'm here to tell you something really important." Rukia tells him, and his first thought is that she has to leave for Soul Society, and so his eyes widen and he's very intent on her.

"What is it Rukia?" He asks nervously, because he doesn't want to hear that she's leaving.

"Life isn't always as long as you anticipate it's going to be. Sometimes, you die before you do all of the things you may have wanted to do." Rukia says slowly, and Ichigo blinks a few times.

_Is she trying to tell me she's dying!?_

"I'm not sure I understand what you're saying." He says slowly, since he is completely unaware that she's getting ready to confess to him.

"I wouldn't want to die tomorrow without having told you…well…I also wouldn't want you to die without me having told you that I am deeply in love with you." Rukia says in a low voice, and she wonders if _that_ would satisfy Kaien-dono.

Ichigo looks astounded.

_I don't believe what I just heard, but I can't ask her to repeat it either. _

"Am I still dreaming?" He asks in a hoarse whisper, and Rukia shakes her head.

"I can hit you to prove it," she suggests helpfully, and he hastily shakes his head at her.

"No thanks…I believe it." He says,

"And?" Rukia says, but Ichigo just pulls her in for a hug, which makes her think she might faint, because her face is pressed up against his bare chest.

"Neither one of us are going to die for a long time…but no matter when that happens, I'll live loving only you for the rest of my life." He tells her, and Rukia puts her arms around him.

"Deep down you're such a romantic." Rukia whispers, since she's so touched by his words.

"Shut up, Rukia." Ichigo growls, before he holds her tighter and Rukia smiles.

_I am where my heart is…and I feel truly happy, Kaien-dono._


	4. Emperador: Beautiful Night

_**A/N- A friend of mine, who writes the story called EMPERADOR, told me that I could write the lemon that occurred in his story, which would have occurred just before chapter 7 (including prologue) for IchiRuki. Even if you don't read the story, you should be able to enjoy the lemon. I for one adore his story, which focuses on a character named Esteban, some of you may remember him from BlacknwhiteIchiRuki2, but it does include the IchiRuki pairing! This chapter is dedicated to ObliviousWarrior89, and is created to fit into his story.**_

_Beautiful Night_

Rukia laid in Ichigo's bed after finishing another one of the more dirty mangas that Isshin had bought for her, that was supposed to help her understand boys minds better. She grins when she remembers a few of the sweet things Ichigo has said to her lately.

_I stormed Soul Society for you once. I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant keeping you around._

She blushes a tiny bit when she remembers how she kissed him on the cheek, and how he'd blushed. Then she remembers how he told Esteban that she was his midget. It had of course meant some pain for Ichigo, but somehow him calling her _his_, made her feel warm and fuzzy all over.

She knows she should have her mind on Esteban, and all of the drama that's begun to occur in the living world due to him residing there…but she cannot get her mind off of Ichigo.

_Kissing him felt right and I just wanted to get closer to him…I still do._

Rukia remembers the last manga she read, where the character had dressed up in a sexy fashion, and the boy she liked reacted very positively…eyes popping out of his head.

_But I don't have anything like that! What could I do that might make him have a similar reaction?_

She imagines waiting for him in a bra and underwear, but that thought just makes her face heat up from the embarrassment since she's sure she can't do that.

_But I know he's interested! He called me his midget!_

She's completely interrupted from her thoughts when Ichigo's father enters the room with a bag in his hands and a conspiratorial smile on his face.

"Rukia-chan, this arrived for you at the front door! It says it's from Rangiku-san." Isshin says, and Rukia accepts the bag as Isshin backs out of the room. There's a small note inside the bag at the top which Rukia plucks out first.

_Kuchiki,_

_You and Ichigo have inspired me a great deal. To tell the truth, I never believed in true love before. I know I should have done this a long time ago, and forgive me for being late, but for giving me reason to believe again, I wanted to get you this present. I think it's a shame that two people who love each other so much, haven't been able to share in the joy of being in each other's arms. I know you're modest so I chose this gift with that in mind._

_Your friend, Rangiku_

Rukia's eyes widen as she folds up the letter and then instantly burns it. She doesn't really want Ichigo to ever read that for some reason. She opens the bag, and pulls out a brand new nightgown.

She's shocked to see that Rangiku-san actually did keep her modest nature in mind when she picked it out. It is still sexy though. A red silk chemise that comes down longer in the back than in the front, but it only comes up a little bit, covering all of her necessary parts, while still looking very appealing on the eyes.

At the bottom of the bag are red silk panties for Rukia to wear with it, and this causes the petite Shinigami to wonder if Rangiku has the ability to read minds, or if she's been spying on her at all.

Rukia isn't certain at all whether or not to be suspicious or grateful that this red silk chemise ended up in her possession right when she was looking for something sexy to wear, to entice Ichigo.

_If this doesn't do the trick, nothing will._

Rukia grabs a towel, and then wraps up her new nightwear inside of it. She also grabs a robe out of the closet and then she heads for the shower.

* * *

Ichigo finally gets home from his walk…he'd been pretty annoyed over the whole Grimmjow and Esteban situation, and he'd needed time to cool off.

_All of this drama is more trouble for Karakura Town. Protecting this place really is a full time job._

He heads up the stairs, and hears the water running in the bathroom, so he heads to his room, expecting to find Rukia there. She's not though, so he assumes she's the one in the shower.

He opens his drawer, to change into his typical sweatpants and tee-shirt for the night.

With everything that's happened lately, they've become much closer. They've been holding hands, and she's kissed him…on the cheek, but it was still a first for them.

He flops on his bed, and blushes when he can strongly sense Rukia's presence, as though she'd been laying in his bed before she'd gone into the shower or something.

It's always nice when he can feel her reiatsu nearby. The tension in his heart and mind seems to dissipate with her nearness.

_I've been pretty obvious lately…_

He can't believe he actually tried to advise Esteban by explaining that Rukia used to be a midget, but now she's his midget…it hadn't really worked out like he'd meant for it to.

_At least she was only mad about the word midget, and not my actual possessiveness over her._

As he gets carried away with thoughts of Rukia, his bedroom door suddenly opens and the girl on his mind is there in person. He blinks when she shuts the door behind her and then unties her robe.

'Rukia! …" Ichigo is speechless as the robe drops to the floor. He's never wanted to tackle a girl more than he wants to right now.

Her appearance has an immediate effect on his nether region, and she notes it fairly quickly. She's almost as red as what she's wearing…

_What in the fuck is she wearing!? How am I supposed to control myself!?_

"Do you like it Ichigo? It even has matching red panties…" Rukia trails off, and reaches down to pull up the chemise.

She does this to show him the panties, and he stares intently as she slowly lifts, and then very briefly offers him a view of the panties that go with it.

A piece of drool literally drops from his lips because he forgot to swallow his saliva, being way too caught up in what Rukia was showing him, and that was incredibly embarrassing in itself, but she just looks like she's trying not to laugh, since she's pleased as hell that his reaction to her was like that.

"Yeah…I like it." Ichigo says in a low pained voice, and then she takes a step closer.

Ichigo feels every muscle in his body tighten up…if she comes much closer, he won't be responsible for what happens to that lovely midget body of hers…

Rukia is nervous as hell, because every sense in her body tells her that she's being hunted, with the way he's staring at her, but she's also feeling a lot of excitement, that he's so obviously attracted to her, and turned on by her.

She takes another step, and Ichigo takes a deep shaky breath, because his eyes can't leave her beautiful feminine body…and he can smell the scent of soap wafting off of her body…makes him want to kiss her _everywhere_.

_Wait…what in the hell am I thinking!? Have I really lost this much control over a red silky nightgown and skimpy red panties? Shit…she's coming closer…_

Rukia can tell he's struggling with himself due to her appearance, and the fact that he's like that just makes her heart soar.

"I was hoping you would like it…" Rukia says softly, and he snaps out of his reverie.

He drags his eyes away from her body, and raises them to meet her beautiful eyes, and that doesn't stop his desire from flowing one bit. He's sure he's about to accost her if she moves any closer.

"Rukia…stop. Stop where you're at. If you come any closer…" He looks at her and takes another deep shaky breath.

"What?" Rukia asks curiously, not moving any closer…yet.

"I'm going to want to touch you…and a whole lot more." He warns her in a near growl, as he thinks about how painful his crotch is going to be if she's just in the mood to tease him.

"I think that's the first time you've ever admitted anything like that to me." Rukia says with an enticing smile, but then in Ichigo's eyes at least…she does the unthinkable.

She takes another step forward.

"I warned you…" That's all that he gets out before he reaches out and snatches her up, pulling her close to him so that their bodies touch.

He's still sitting on the bed, and she's still standing, but it's body to body before they even know it.

They both moan the instant they feel what it's like to be this close to one another…in this type of setting. Ichigo's hands can't get enough of the silky feel of her nightgown, and he runs his hands up and down her back…then he even moves his hand down over her rear end, while emitting another turned on moan.

"Ichigo…" Rukia whispers, since this is an entirely new sensation…Ichigo's hands all over her body, and the sensations it brings.

"You smell so good." He mumbles, as he buries his face into her neck, and even though he likes the feel of her nightgown, he finds his hand has pushed down the strap on one shoulder, down her arm a bit so that he can rub her bare shoulder.

_This feels a hell of a lot better than I ever even thought it could…_

He pulls away, to pull off his shirt, and while he does that, Rukia hastily pushes the strap back up to her shoulder. The instant his tee-shirt is off, and he pulls her close again, she feels like her entire body is heating up.

Then he pulls away far enough that he can run his hands over her breasts, though over the silky material, and Rukia shivers at that…because she can feel her nipples hardening up, from his gentle yet sure touch.

_What is he doing to me?! My whole body…has never felt like this before!_

Ichigo breathes even heavier, since he feels like he's about to explode in his pants, from being able to touch her like this. He reaches down under the chemise, and runs his hands up her legs…to her sexy red panties, and he slides them down as quickly as he can.

She flinches when she realizes what he's done, but she doesn't try to get away from him, which really surprises him…he wonders if this was what she's been wanting, when she walked in the room, because she's being all soft and giving…a side of Rukia he doesn't get to see very often.

Her fingers dig nervously into his back when his hands come back up to the straps of her nightgown, and he relieves her of it so that she's standing naked before him.

_Holy shit…_

Ichigo can't really think straight when looking at her…he's actually frozen for a long minute, as he takes in the sight of her completely naked…he really didn't think when he woke up this morning that he'd be experiencing something like this with her.

Rukia really doesn't know how to react, so she stands straight and unmoving as his eyes roam eagerly over her entire body, and linger at the places he's never been allowed to see before.

She's never been so embarrassed in her life, but the desire in his eyes only seems to get stronger with her nude state, so she breathes heavily from nervousness but stays silent, waiting to see what he'll do next.

He's sure he'll never forget this sight as long as he lives, because he's never seen a female body that affects him on the level that Rukia's does.

"I'm never going to let you go." He tells her in a near growl, before he pulls her close again, and begins to kiss her all over, just like he's been wanting to do, pretty much from the instant she dropped her robe.

She lets out a helpless sigh as his mouth roams all over her front, and she can't stop several full body shivers from occurring, as his mouth slides past her nipples, and down to her belly, and then back up to her neck, before he claims her lips with his own, and lets his hands continue to roam where his lips aren't.

Very few words pass between them…but many meaningful stares are shared, and the love that they both feel is communicated silently rather than verbally, but it still means as much to both of them as any words ever could.

He gently pushes her back, so that he can stand, and then he leans down to kiss her while he shoves the waist of his pants down to his knees, and allows his arousal to press into her belly.

Rukia gasps from the feeling of his near naked body pressing against her own, and she already knows she'll want to experience this again…

_This is the way it should be…_

Nothing has ever felt more right for either of them, as they soak up each other as much as they can, enjoying the pleasant differences between their bodies.

Rukia loves how hard his body is, with his muscles flexing as she slowly slides her hands up and down his back, over his arms, then up and down his chest.

Then his hand slides between her legs, and she nearly pitches to the floor. She would have fallen if his other arm didn't grab her tightly around the back, to keep her pinned against him, while he assaults her senses in ways she never even knew were possible.

It should scare her, how much she feels for him, but she's too excited to feel fear…and he's touching her with loving intentions, which only makes it feel like she's being taken to the most pleasurable place in her life that she's ever been.

_Because I love him…_

Ichigo isn't even thinking as straight as what she is, since he's completely focused on the magnificent yet petite body that is so close to his right now. It's not just that it's magnificent, it's the way she responds to him that really makes it intoxicating.

He turns her around and then pushes her down, so that she's sitting on the bed. From there, he puts his hand on her upper chest and pushes her back against the bed, so that only her legs are hanging off, and then he lowers himself down, so that he's still standing, but still on the upper half of her body, before he presses a hot passionate kiss against her lips.

The level of intimacy is raised when he begins to probe at her with his sex, and she shivers from the feel of it…she's never felt so wonderful as what she's feeling in his arms.

He lets out a helpless moan since the feeling of his hard sex greeting her wet folds makes him instinctively push into her, and he finds that he's positioned himself in the most pleasurable position when he feels himself slide a tiny bit inside of her. The only problem in his mind, is that he can feel the barrier of her virginity against the head of his erection, and his entire body is urging him to break it, but he holds back a moment, and raises himself up with his hands, so that he can look at her face, and he gives her an apologetic look, which she notices immediately.

"I'm sorry." He says simply, before he uses all of his power, to bypass the virginity that had kept him from pressing any further in with any sort of gentle effort.

Her entire body tightens up with that push, including her insides, and his whole body is buzzing at the new and wondrous sensation, even though she's still tense as hell.

She understands well, why he apologized, but she has experienced pain so many times in her life, that she forces herself to ignore it in favor of the pleasure she can still feel at being so close to him.

"You can move." Rukia says simply, and that's all the encouragement he needs to do just that, but he can't help from apologizing once more.

"I'm sorry…" He whispers, even as he lets out a ragged moan at the ecstasy gripping him from bring inside of her, and he holds his weight with his arms, to keep going.

Rukia is torn between the feelings she's experiencing of combined pleasure and pain. She's aware that it won't always be this painful, so she hopes that it doesn't last too long this first time, since she wants to experience the next time…when pain won't be a factor.

Ichigo on the other hand is struggling not to explode inside of her, but with each second that passes, that feat looks more and more impossible. He forces himself to hold back as best he can, but he's a bit disappointed with himself that he doesn't last longer, when he feels his entire body jerk.

He mumbles at her, not that she understands one word, as he pours himself inside of her, and then he crashes against her to kiss her several times.

Rukia's body feels like it's pounding, from the experience she just shared with him, and she kisses him back, before they both climb fully into the bed and hold each other, naked and quiet.

Ichigo doesn't know what to say, so he just holds her tight, looking for the right words to say after what they've experienced, but he hears her start to snore softly before he can figure out anything.

_It's fine…I can just hold her like this…because I love being like this with her._

It's not too long before he falls asleep too, with sweet dreams of his naked Rukia.

"I love my midget…" He says it in his sleep, and she holds him tighter.

"You'd better." She replies in her sleep, even though on some level, she heard him.

Isshin smiles outside their door, since he's been camped there for quite some time. He'll have to wait for the right time to reveal he knows that his boy has officially become a man.

_It's about damned time they got it on! What a beautiful night!_


	5. As Requested: A Night Out

_**A/N-I had a request to do this chapter some time ago. It's dedicated to the person that requested it.**_

_A Night Out_

Inoue wants to cry. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this when they all went to the club. Sado invited everyone, because he was scheduled to play, but because his band is one of the first up, he'll be able to hang out with the rest of the group when it's finished. Even Renji is along, since he's visiting.

Inoue had gone shopping with Rangiku-san, the master of seductive dressing, and had purchased a top that showed off her generous chest, but instead of looking at her, the man she has eyes for can't seem to take his eyes off of Kuchiki-san.

Rukia is decked out in a leather outfit that suits her beyond belief. Everything about her screams danger and excitement. Inoue is so focused on her rival, that she fails to notice Keigo switching his gazes between her half exposed bosom, and Rukia's sexy leather outfit.

Mizuiro has disappeared, and said he'd be back but nobody is really worried about where he's gone. Ishida is in the middle of noticing the direction of Inoue's stare when Kunieda walks up to him.

"I didn't think I'd see you here." Kunieda says to Ishida, and he pushes his glasses up.

"Nor did I expect to see you. I figured you'd be at home studying, to try and get number one next time." Ishida says, and Kunieda smiles.

"And I figured you'd be at home studying to keep your number one spot." She tells him with a smile, and Ishida grins.

"Well I guess we both needed a break." He tells her, just as a slow song starts, and Kunieda looks away.

"Want to dance?" She asks, and Ishida's mouth falls open as he eyes the girl who is much taller than him.

"Sure." He says, unable to tell her no.

_I can't waste my life away, staring at Inoue-san._

"She asked Ishida to dance!?" Keigo yelps in shock as he watches them walk away, but everyone ignores him.

"We should dance too!" Tatsuki says, and Inoue offers her a weak smile, but she nods her agreement.

_I really don't want to walk away from Kurosaki-kun, but I don't want to stand here staring at him while he continues to be oblivious to me either…_

"Okay." Inoue agrees, and as they walk onto the floor, Renji follows without thinking twice about it, since he finds Tatsuki to be very intriguing.

Ichigo notices a couple of guys eyeing Rukia, so he doesn't notice that half of the group has already walked away, as he crosses his arms and gives the guys a death glare to let them know not to get anywhere near Rukia.

_She's drawing all kinds of attention…looks like I'll be playing Rukia's bodyguard tonight…_

"Ichigo?" Rukia asks, making him flinch since he wasn't expecting her to address him.

"What?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia gives him a big innocent looking smile.

"I want to dance too, since Sado is up next. You coming with me?" She asks, and he nods his head reluctantly.

_Not that I'm such a great dancer, but with her looking like that, I have to stay close by…_

"Yeah, I'm right behind you." Ichigo says, meaning it quite literally, to keep an eye out for any guys with a stalker mentality to try to get near her.

Keigo gasps as he stares on.

"Kuchiki-san and Ichigo are dancing together too?!" Keigo pouts, but he decides to use the restroom and get a drink before getting on the dance floor.

"Keigo is an idiot." Ichigo mutters, since he doesn't like it when other people focus on him and Rukia.

"Look at Renji! He was always such a goofy dancer." Rukia says with a laugh, and Ichigo follows where her finger is pointing.

"Holy shit, what in the hell is he doing? He looks so lame!" Ichigo says with a horrified look, but then he notices Tatsuki and Inoue laughing at Renji.

_Shouldn't they be embarrassed to be in his presence?_

"No, for some reason most people like the way he dances…I think it's because he doesn't hold back." Rukia tells him, as she finds a spot near the rest of their friends, but not too close, to give Renji room to do his thing.

"No way would you catch me dancing like that…" Ichigo says, as Renji grabs his hair, and then he juts out his midsection several times, like he's make believe humping, before he circles Tatsuki, shaking his crotch at her too.

"Thank goodness…I don't want to see you dancing like him…never much cared for it when he danced that way to begin with." Rukia tells him, and Ichigo finds himself relieved at that.

_Why in the hell is Tatsuki so amused?! What he's doing is sick!_

Ichigo sees one of the guys who was eyeing Rukia, start to get close to them, so he steps a bit closer to her, while moving his body the absolute bare minimum to be considered dancing.

The music stops, and Sado's band begins their first song a moment later, but Ichigo doesn't bother to move away from Rukia at all, during the brief minute with no dancing.

"Do you…uh…like leather?" Ichigo asks, feeling his face heat up, while Rukia nods her head enthusiastically.

"Yeah…do you?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo just keeps his eye on the asshole that is progressively getting closer.

"On you…" Ichigo mutters, but Rukia hears, and beams at him.

Then she sees that Tatsuki is starting to respond quite enthusiastically to Renji, so she focuses completely on Ichigo.

"Really!?" Rukia can hardly believe what she just heard, but Ichigo only adds to her shock, when he suddenly pulls her all the way up against his body.

The most startling part of the whole situation for Rukia, is that she very much likes being this close to him. She likes it so much that she doesn't know how to respond, which is just as good, since he's not focused on her at all right now.

"You got a problem?" She hears him demand as she's pressed against his chest, and it takes her a full moment to get over her shock and react.

"Ichigo what are you doing?" Rukia demands, and then she hears an unfamiliar voice.

"Ichigo? Honey, why don't you dance with a real man, and not this lame strawberry?" She hears, and Ichigo completely ignores her in order to swing over her head at whoever just talked to her.

"Come on, Rukia." She is suddenly being led off the dance floor, and when she twists her head to see what's behind them, she sees a young man she's never met before writhing in agony on the ground.

"What?!" Rukia asks, as he guides her right out of the club.

"It'll only lead to more trouble if we stay." He tells her, and then he stops and shoves his hands in his pockets. "…unless you wanted to stay in there without me." He mentions, and Rukia sighs.

"Nah, I don't mind keeping you company…" Rukia murmurs, even as she tries to piece together what just happened in her head.

"Come on, I'll treat you to a drink." Ichigo says, as he yanks one hand out of his pocket to tug on her arm again.

They walk into a fast food restaurant, and Ichigo orders them drinks to go, before they wander off to a park nearby, where they can sit at a picnic table next to each other.

"Want to explain what happened at the club? Everyone is probably wondering where we disappeared to." Rukia says, and Ichigo takes a long slurp of his drink.

"Some pervert was trying to pick you up." Ichigo says simply, before taking another slurp of his drink.

"You didn't have to punch him, I could have just told him I wasn't interested." Rukia says logically, and Ichigo frowns.

"You could have…if he hadn't implied I wasn't a real man." Ichigo says, feeling stupid even as he explains it.

_Of course Rukia would have turned him down! Why did I get all possessive on her?_

He looks at her and is instantly reminded why.

_Rukia in leather makes for a lethal combination…_

"So you had to hit him to prove you were?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo sighs.

"Yeah…I guess I did." Ichigo says, and Rukia doesn't let it go.

"Why?" She asks, and Ichigo wishes she'd shut her trap.

"Because he was trying to make me look bad in front of you." Ichigo mutters, staring at his straw.

"What? Ichigo! It's not like he could have actually accomplished that! I know the real you." Rukia says, and he finally stops staring at his straw, to stare at her.

"Well…I still didn't like him trying." Ichigo mumbles, a bit taken aback by how intense everything has gotten, particularly since they're staring into each other's eyes, both of them trying not to be the first to look away.

"Well…why did you pull me against you?" Rukia asks next, and that causes him to be the first to look away.

"He was trying to grab you…" Ichigo says, and Rukia nods.

_But it made me feel things!_

With that thought on her mind, Rukia's whole body shivers, and Ichigo notices. His arm comes around her as though he doesn't even appear to think about it, and then they both blush.

"That was the only reason?" Rukia asks softly, and Ichigo lets his cheek rest against the top of her head.

"I didn't want him to touch you." Ichigo says, and Rukia laughs a bit.

"You know if anybody walked by us right now, they'd think we're a couple." She tells him, expecting him to remove his arm, but he does no such thing.

"I don't care what other people think. Let them think what they want…" Ichigo mutters, and he adds to that statement in his mind.

_As long as they don't bother us, I won't care…_

"What if it makes me feel like we're a couple?" Rukia asks it so softly, she thinks maybe he didn't hear her, because he's silent for about twenty seconds before he finally responds.

"Is that such a terrible thought?" He finally asks, and Rukia's eyes widen.

_Idiot! It's what I long for!_

"What exactly are you asking me?" Rukia asks after a moment, and Ichigo takes a deep breath before he takes the plunge.

"Do you find the idea of us being a couple so repulsive?" He asks, and Rukia blinks a few times.

_Repulsive!? It's my number one fantasy!_

"Repulsive is not the word I'd use to describe it…I'd say the idea of that seems very…natural." Rukia finally manages to get it out, and his arm tightens around her.

"So you're not against the idea?" Ichigo pushes, wanting to know exactly what she thinks.

"Are you?" Rukia asks, and he shakes his head no at her.

Rukia rubs her cheek on his shoulder, and he breathes in the scent of her hair.

"There's something I want to do with you, now that we're a couple." Ichigo says in a low voice, and when she turns her head upward to look at him, he lowers his lips onto her own.

* * *

"Where did Kurosaki-kun go!? He was just here a minute ago!" Inoue says suddenly, which causes Renji and Tatsuki to freeze, mid-grind.

"Ah! There's someone in pain on the floor…that means Ichigo couldn't have gone too far." Tatsuki says, and Inoue closes her eyes to get a feel for the orange haired Shinigami she adores.

_He left? With Kuchiki-san…_

"Ichigo's a big boy who can take care of himself. He'll call if he has any trouble." Renji says, and Tatsuki nods.

"That's true. There's really no reason to worry, Orihime." Tatsuki says, and Inoue feels a lump in her throat.

_I don't have a very good feeling about this…_

"Inoue-san, are you alright?" Ishida is suddenly there with Kunieda, looking a bit breathless since he danced longer with her than he'd anticipated.

"Kurosaki-kun left the club." Inoue says, and Ishida nods his head with a small chuckle.

"We saw the whole thing. That guy on the floor over there asked for it though. Asked Kuchiki-san if she'd like to be with or dance with a real man. I didn't hear that part clearly. Kurosaki looked furious, and that guy was on the floor before he knew what happened." Ishida explains, and Kunieda nods.

"It looked like he was leaving to avoid further conflict." She says, but Inoue can't stop the dread from building up in her gut.

"He got out of there really fast." Ishida adds and Kunieda nods in agreement.

"What!? Kuchiki-san left!? With Ichigo!?" Keigo repeats, looking like someone has slugged him in the gut and Mizuiro laughs.

"When are you going to figure out it's a lost cause?"

"Shut up, Mizuiro!" Keigo snaps angrily, since he had so enjoyed the sight of Kuchiki-san in leather, and had hoped to dance with her at the club.

Inoue closes her eyes again.

_What has me the most nervous, is how close in proximity Kuchiki-san's reiatsu is to Kurosaki-kun's._

"I wonder if Kurosaki-kun will make it back to the club…" Inoue says, and Renji shrugs.

"It'll be a waste if they don't, since Rukia got all dressed up for the occasion." Renji points out, before he puts his hands on Tatsuki's hips to grind with her some more.

* * *

"Is it really okay to be doing this outside?" Rukia asks in a breathless voice, as he has her pushed up against a tree with her leather clothing at their feet.

"It's dark…if anyone comes by, I'll cover you up." Ichigo assures her, before he kisses her some more.

"But I'm starting to get cold." Rukia says in with a shaky breath, and Ichigo pulls her even closer.

"I'm going to keep you warm…" He says in a husky voice, before he silences her with more passionate kisses.

* * *

"I can't believe Ichigo didn't come back after two hours! That bum!" Tatsuki says with a shake of her head, as Sado approaches them.

"He's hogging Kuchiki-san again!" Keigo whines, but nobody pays much attention to him.

Mizuiro grins at his girlfriend, and she smiles back as they just listen to the rest of the group.

"I saw it when I was on stage. At least he was here to hear some of the band's music." Sado says, and Renji nods.

"Should we track them down?" Tatsuki asks, and Inoue nods her head at that.

"We should go look for them, I hope he didn't upset Rukia too much." Renji says, and everyone nods.

"Maybe when we meet up with them, we can all go out for ice cream!" Inoue says, and everyone begins smiling.

"Ah, Inoue-san…that's such a wonderful idea." Keigo says, and Tatsuki rolls her eyes.

They all head out of the club, and in the direction of Rukia and Ichigo with Sado leading the way, since he can always sense Ichigo's direction. They all walk for about ten minutes, until they reach a park.

"He's here somewhere." Sado says, and Renji nods.

"You're right. But I don't see them." Ishida says, and Inoue looks disturbed.

"Maybe we need to look harder, since it's dark." Inoue says softly, and Keigo nods.

"Kuchiki-san was wearing black, so if they're at the other end of the park, we wouldn't see them." Keigo says, even as he looks forward to seeing his petite classmate in her leather outfit again.

"This way." Renji says, and they all follow him into the park.

"I hear something." Mizuiro says suddenly, and then he begins to smile since he recognizes immediately, what the sounds he's hearing mean.

"Me too." Kunieda says, but then the noises suddenly quiet down.

"This way!" Renji says, and they all walk a bit further into the park, before they suddenly spot a naked couple on the ground wrapped up in each other's arms. The bright orange hair is a dead giveaway.

"No!" Keigo shouts, getting the attention of the couple, and Ichigo presses himself fully on top of Rukia, to keep anybody from seeing her.

"You do know this is a public park, right?" Ishida's voice sounds, and Ichigo fumbles for his substitute license.

"Get out of here or die!" Ichigo roars, and the group quickly backs away.

"I can't believe Ichigo defiled Kuchiki-san!" Keigo bawls, and a few tears spring to Inoue's face as well.

_I'm too late now…_

Inoue starts to run, and Tatsuki runs after her. Renji follows, and everyone else hurries to put distance between themselves and an irate Kurosaki Ichigo.

Rukia breathes a sigh of relief as their friends retreat, and Ichigo glares at her.

"This is all because you wanted a second round." He accuses her, and Rukia smiles at him.

"You wanted it too." Rukia says, and Ichigo frowns at her since it's true.

"Now they all know." Ichigo says, and Rukia laughs.

"I wasn't planning on keeping us a secret." She says, and he nods.

"I wasn't either, but I didn't want it to come out like this." He says, and Rukia giggles at his double entendre.

"Forget it." Rukia says, and Ichigo gives her a look that clearly shows he has no idea how to do what she's asking.

Rukia can't let herself feel bad at all though, because she and Ichigo finally took their relationship to the next step.

_We're finally together! This was the best night of my life, not just a night out._


	6. As Requested: Good Luck Charms

**A/N-In this one shot, Ichigo and Rukia have a boy, but they live in the living world, protecting Karakura Town. This chapter is dedicated to the person that requested to have Ichigo's hollow looking after the IchiRuki baby, please enjoy!**

_Good Luck Charms_

It was Rukia's idea to take a long stroll around Karakura Town with their son, who is almost a year old. Ichigo had agreed reluctantly, and only after Rukia had put her hands on her hips and given him a threatening glare.

Ichigo had wanted to stay inside and lounge on the couch, but Rukia got her way. Now they're out together as a family, and Ichigo is pushing the stroller with his son in it.

The main reason Ichigo doesn't like these strolls around town, is because they always get a lot of stares from anyone passing by.

"Kichirou really likes to go on these walks!" Rukia always insists, but Ichigo doesn't like some of the dirty looks people give to him and to his son, as they note the matching bright orange hair on them both.

"That's because he doesn't realize how nasty some people can be." Ichigo had muttered under his breath, and Rukia had tapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" She asked loudly, and he had simply shaken his head.

So now they're walking, and Ichigo's hands are gripping the stroller tightly, looking for any sign of an idiot who might want to cause trouble while he's out with his son.

"It's such a beautiful day!" Rukia says with a pleased grin as she looks around, and Ichigo nods.

"It's always pretty this time of year." He tells her, and she grins.

Rukia is oblivious to most of the looks that they get from a lot of people, but she does notice when she sees someone being really blatant or obvious. When that does happen, she's been known to start a confrontation, but in general she doesn't really pay a whole lot of attention to random people that they don't know.

Whenever she hears Ichigo grumble in aggravation, she usually thinks people were admiring their son, and not actually being mean spirited in the way that Ichigo sees it.

Once they're several blocks from their house, all hell begins to break loose, and Ichigo's Substitute Shinigami license starts to beep a loud warning, while Rukia grabs her spirit phone out of the stroller to gauge the strength of the approaching hollow.

"This is an extremely strong hollow." Rukia tries to tell Ichigo, but he's already used his shunpo to put distance between himself, her, and Kichirou.

"They won't always just come after you, idiot!" Rukia yelps out, but in this instance, her husband turns out to be right, and the hollow does materialize near him, to target him first.

"Stay back with Kichirou, Rukia!" Ichigo yells at her, and Rukia rolls her eyes.

"Pay attention to what you're doing fool!" She yells back, and Kichirou begins to cry, so Rukia grabs him up. "Shhhh…be quiet, it will all be okay." Rukia tells their son, as she waits for her husband to kill the hollow.

There's a huge dust cloud that makes it impossible for her to see exactly what happens, but she feels it when he goes down.

Rukia swears, as Ichigo makes his first mistake in over a year, underestimating a hollow. Normally he's on his guard when they're with their son, but now he's half dead on the ground, slashed and torn so badly he can't even hope to move.

"Move body…" Ichigo pants out, but his legs are damn near slashed apart, his middle is cut so deeply, it's a complete miracle that his body isn't laying in five or six pieces, since even his arms are also only connected by a thread.

_How in the fuck did I let this happen!? Rukia! Kichirou! How have I fucked up this badly!? Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! _

Not even two seconds have passed since he's realized the extent of his injuries, and his inability to move, when his hollow just decides to take over…and Ichigo is too weak to stop him…

"_What in the fuck did the King fucking do to me!? I'm cut to ribbons! You pathetic, useless, piece of_-" Hollow Ichigo is highly pissed off, that Ichigo managed to get injured so badly, that even he is helpless, but what cuts off his tirade, is the wife…

She's already put a massively strong healing barrier on his arms, and whisks Kichirou right over to him.

"Watch our son." Rukia orders him sternly, but when he raises his head, she gasps.

"_Don't worry I won't eat the kid. Go fight_." He snaps at her, and she simply nods before she disappears around the other side of the hollow.

"Hang in there!" Rukia commands him just before she jumps and dodges another attack like the one that got her husband, and Ichigo's hollow is stunned.

_She actually cares about me hanging in there, or is she trying to talk to the King?_

His arms still really aren't functional, but somehow the kid is staying on his chest, staring at him with wide curious eyes. He sees out of the corner of his eyes, that Rukia attempt a few attacks that the hollow evades.

"_Fuck kid, can you actually tell? How interesting that you show me not one ounce of fear…even if I'm not to be feared at the moment god damn that fucking bastard_." Ichigo's hollow hisses, but Kichirou can't stop himself from reaching out with one hand to touch the half mask that has appeared on his father's face.

"Pa-pa-pa…" Kichirou mumbles, as he rubs the mask with an intently inquisitive look on his face.

"_I am not your fucking papa_!" Hollow Ichigo snarls, but then Rukia flashes by.

"Language!" She snaps, and Ichigo's hollow considers what it might be like to smack her around a bit, since she dares to order him how to speak in any capacity whatsoever.

"_Hey bitch! You don't like it? Then fight while holding him! I'm in no mood to listen to your bitching_!" Hollow Ichigo roars, which causes Kichirou to start crying, a loud and obnoxious noise that grates on Ichigo's hollow's ears.

"See!" Rukia yells, just before she releases her zanpakutou, in preparation to finish the battle, without any harm coming to her son.

"_Shut up kid_!" Ichigo's hollow wishes his arms were working, so he could properly suffocate the kid, but as it currently stands, he's at Kichirou's fucking mercy.

Of course telling the young child to shut up in the manner that he did, only causes Kichirou to get even louder, which Ichigo's hollow hadn't realized was possible.

"Pa-pa-pa!" Kichirou screams, and Ichigo's hollow blinks a few times before he scoffs.

"_You know what, I don't think I like babysitting your little shit bag…you take care of your own kid, King_." Ichigo's hollow relinquishes control of the body back to Ichigo, who is conscious and breathing hard from worry.

"Kichirou…" Ichigo mutters, and when he sees his son on his chest, unharmed, he wants to cry sweet tears of joy. "Rukia!" Ichigo says next, but he's not too worried since he can sense her reiatsu on the rise.

Rukia's shikai attack is perfectly placed, and the hollow is destroyed, even though Ichigo lays nearly broken from his one stupid mistake. The instant the hollow disappears, she looks over in the direction of her husband and son.

"Ichigo!" Rukia yells, as she runs over, and begins applying more healing barriers.

"I'm fine Rukia. I can't believe I got this messed up from a regular hollow, but Kichirou…brought me back." Ichigo says in a low voice, and Rukia looks relieved.

"I almost didn't know what to do…but he wasn't really in any shape to harm…" Rukia trails off, and Ichigo smirks.

"It seems my big bad tough hollow can't handle the product of our love." Ichigo says, and Rukia shakes her head.

"You sure have gotten sappier in the past year," she tells him, and he smiles as she continues to heal him.

"Nearly being separated into multiple pieces will have that effect on you." He says, and Rukia laughs.

"That just happened today…how do you explain your other recent sappy lines?" She asks, and Ichigo thinks a moment.

"It's all because I love you so much that I want you to always know it, and feel it." He says without any difficulty, and Rukia sighs.

"You were reckless today…you almost got killed, and even if it was only for a little while, your hollow babysat our son." Rukia says, and she concentrates harder on the healing.

"It could have been worse." Ichigo says, as Inoue comes running up, looking horrified by the state Ichigo is in.

"How?" Rukia asks, as she picks up Kichirou and watches Inoue piece Ichigo together instantly.

Ichigo stands up so that he can hug his wife and son.

"Something could have happened to one or both of you." Ichigo says in a hard voice, and Rukia grins.

"It was hell for us that anything happened to you." Rukia tells him, and Inoue watches them with envy.

"I won't screw up like that again…it was too painful." Ichigo tells her, and then he looks back at Inoue. "Thanks Inoue." Ichigo says, before he walks with his wife over to the discarded stroller, ready to go home and lay down.

"You're welcome, Kurosaki-kun," Inoue whispers, even though it's as if they've already forgotten her existence.

"You'd better not screw up like that again! We need you, Ichigo!" Rukia says, and Ichigo smiles at the two sets of identical blue eyes staring him into submission.

_We're all still alive even after that near fatal encounter…I'd say we had very good luck today._

"And I need the two of you too. You're my good luck charms." Ichigo says softly, and Rukia smiles.

_We're all alive, so I'll let you call us your good luck charms._

**A/N-Kichirou means Good Luck and Son.**


	7. As Requested: Isshin's Prank

**A/N-This is a very long one shot done by request and it's dedicated to the person that requested it!**

_Isshin's Prank_

"You owe me, Urahara…" Isshin says, and Urahara can't stop smiling.

"You really mean to make it so that they have to trade for a full week?" Urahara asks, shaking his head as he imagines Ichigo having to live life as a woman.

"I'm thinking it's just what they need, to take that final step…and really close the bonds…you know what I mean?" Isshin asks, and Urahara laughs.

"No…if I know your son, he will be livid…and I mean livid." Urahara says, and Isshin laughs.

"It'll be fun to see him get all worked up as a cute girl! Give me the damned potion and spell!" Isshin snaps, and Urahara laughs so hard he has to clutch his stomach, while no sound comes out for a few moments.

"It hurts!" Urahara says, and that's when Yoruichi in cat form sits down in front of them.

"You are as immature as can be." Yoruichi tells Isshin, who just laughs heartily.

"Messing with my son is my job in life." Isshin says in defense.

"I don't think he'd agree." Yoruichi says, and Isshin laughs.

"You know I take this job seriously, not to mention this will be very…educational for him." Isshin says, and Yoruichi sighs.

"I'm going to head to Soul Society to get the scoop on what's going on there. I want no part of this ridiculous scheme." She says, and Isshin laughs.

"You sure? It's bound to be good for a few laughs…" Isshin says, and Yoruichi doesn't respond besides flipping her tail in an agitated way as she saunters off.

"Alright Isshin-san. I'll give you what you're asking for, but I don't want you to bring up my name when your son finds out what you've done." Urahara says, and Isshin chuckles.

"Fine, fine." Isshin agrees easily, and Urahara shakes his head as he gets out the necessary items for Isshin to complete his prank.

_At Home…_

Ichigo peeks out of the corner of his eyes at Rukia, who is lying on her stomach reading a manga, kicking her legs a bit, back and forth. She doesn't seem to notice that her green dress has ridden up quite a bit, and he can nearly see the curve of her rear end.

_How am I supposed to concentrate!?_

Kon is napping in the closet, completely oblivious to the current view that is available at the moment, which is the only reason Ichigo is able to look out of the corner of his eyes for so long at her.

_She's not paying any attention to me at all…she probably doesn't even think about doing intimate things with me._

Rukia flips the page of the manga and resists the urge to sigh. She's reading such a beautiful love story, but the weird thing is, that in a lot of ways, Ichigo acts like the hero of her story.

_Except he isn't eager to confess some deep heartfelt feelings for me like these guys are…then again…he wouldn't be Ichigo if he'd already said something like that._

She kicks her legs absentmindedly, completely unaware of how the view of her shapely legs is affecting her handsome partner.

_Ah! Stop thinking about Ichigo! _

Rukia flips the page, and immerses herself back in the tale she's reading to avoid thinking any further about Ichigo and whether or not he'll ever say he loves her.

_That Night…_

Isshin already knows his son is a deep sleeper, but he doesn't know about Rukia-chan…so he intends to use a binding spell on her, make sure the plan goes as proceeded.

He's been allowing her to sleep in Ichigo's closet since the girls kept complaining that Rukia-chan got up too frequently in the night, so that helps his plans even more, that the girls won't be suspicious when he asks Ichigo to carry Rukia up to his closet.

He waits for the girls to start their homework, and for his son to get in the shower, before he walks silently up behind Rukia, chanting the binding spell under his breath as she stares, fixated on a rabbit cartoon she loves so much.

He's able to put her to sleep, without her even realizing he's done it, and he smiles happily as he waits for his son to come down and get something to drink.

He doesn't have too long to wait, his son is predictable in his behavior, and is in the kitchen within ten minutes, guzzling down some water.

"Ichigo! Can you take Rukia-chan upstairs and put her in the closet?" Isshin asks, and he laughs when his son starts choking on what he's drinking.

Ichigo spits up water everywhere, and it takes him a couple of minutes to clear his airway to respond.

"What!? Why can't she get up there herself?" Ichigo asks, and Isshin shrugs.

"She's sleeping very deeply. You can try to wake her up if you think it's easier than carrying her, but she doesn't seem like she'd be that heavy." Isshin says, and Ichigo blushes a bit.

"She's not heavy." He mutters, as he sets his glass in the sink and walks over to the couch where Rukia appears to be sleeping deeply.

"See? She's out like a light!" Isshin says in a singsong voice, and Ichigo scowls at him.

"Rukia!" Ichigo snaps with a biting tone. "Wake up!" He adds, but she doesn't even flinch.

"Told you." Isshin says, and Ichigo scowls.

"Fine." Ichigo keeps the scowl in place as he gathers her in his arms, and gets one arm under her legs and the other around her back and arms.

He moves quickly, to get her upstairs, because his entire body is tingling from touching her. Kon is standing on his bed, with his mouth hanging open as Ichigo manages to slide the door open and place Rukia onto the shelf with much care and tenderness.

He pulls her blanket over her, and covers her up, and makes sure her head is comfortable on the pillow, before he closes the door and sits down on his bed feeling a bit pained at how much he wants her.

_She's sleeping deeply enough…she won't know…_

He grabs Kon and shuts him in the desk drawer, and then locks it to keep the mod soul from blabbering his business. He lays back on the bed, and pulls the covers up, while inching his hands down the waistband of his pants.

He closes his eyes and remembers Rukia's creamy thighs, and then he imagines what it might be like to see her without the dress on at all. Within a couple of minutes, he's relieved the anxiety he was feeling, and he goes to the bathroom to clean up.

He goes back to his bedroom yawning, and even though he feels huge sense of relief, he also feels a bit tense over the growing feelings that he has for Rukia. He falls asleep thinking about her.

About two hours after Ichigo has been sleeping, his father creeps in the room, and silently opens the closet. He pulls Rukia out, and then he sets her on the bed next to Ichigo.

He heads out into the hallway and drags in the tools he'll need for the soul exchange, and to lock them into each other's bodies for a full week. They can only be their real selves in soul form after he completes this spell.

_The Next morning…_

When Ichigo wakes up, he instantly feels different, but he's not sure why until he opens his eyes, and sees himself nose to nose with himself.

"What the hell?" Ichigo asks, but it's not his own usual deep voice coming from his voice box…it's Rukia's voice he hears when he speaks.

He sits straight up and looks down. He's in the same attire she fell asleep in last night…and his eyes linger on his new chest area.

He raises his hands to his hair, and he feels serious panic when he feels Rukia's tresses in his hand rather than his bare neck.

_I have to still be dreaming…this is fucking impossible!_

"I am not in Rukia's body!" Ichigo denies the facts, because he is indeed inhabiting her gigai.

He sees himself on the bed, start to stir, and then he sees his eyes open slowly. Then shock registers in his own eyes, as Rukia realizes she's looking at herself, and that she's in his body.

"What!?" Ichigo hears his voice yelp in a disturbed manner, and he crosses his arms.

"That's my line! How in the hell did this happen, Rukia?" Ichigo asks, hating that when he speaks, he hears her voice.

"How in the hell should I know!?" Rukia asks, looking just as panicked as he feels.

"Maybe if we use my Shinigami badge…" Ichigo mutters, as he looks around for the pants he discarded the night before.

_I can't believe I'm in Rukia's body…_

Rukia is running her hands through her new hair, and she's shocked that something like this has happened. She hadn't even considered it as a possibility before.

"I don't understand this." Rukia mutters, a bit disturbed by the deepness of her voice since she's using his.

"Nee-san! Let me out of here!" Kon's voice comes from the drawer, but Ichigo and Rukia ignore him.

"Found it!" Ichigo exclaims, and he quickly pushes the badge up against his own forehead to get Rukia out of his body, before doing the same to himself.

"That was easy." Rukia says, as she heads for her own body, and Ichigo suddenly feels stupid.

_I should have gone and stripped in front of the mirror before I woke her up…_

He climbs into the bed, and attempts to get back into his body, but to his complete shock, he cannot get back into his own. He glances over at Rukia and sees that she is having the exact same problem he is.

"This isn't really happening…" Ichigo grumbles, and the two stare at each other, and then at the bodies they usually inhabit but can't, before they both look at the body that they can get into.

"So in your human life…I have to be you?" Rukia asks him, as she stares at his body on the bed, and Ichigo shudders at the idea of Rukia being him.

"Hell no…we have to get this fixed." Ichigo says, and Rukia nods.

"Call Urahara. If anybody will know how to fix this problem, it will be him."

"You call…I don't want to hear what he might have to say to me." Ichigo mutters, and Rukia nods.

She picks up the phone to dial, but she doesn't get an answer, which makes her bite her lip in frustration.

"He's not answering." Rukia mutters, and Ichigo looks over at her gigai with a blush rising on his face.

"Then we need to go there in person." Ichigo says, and Rukia nods before she glances at him.

"Why don't you…uh…get your body dressed, and I'll do the same with mine…" Rukia says, and Ichigo blushes as he nods.

"Okay." He says agreeably.

Rukia pulls her body in the closet and finds it's much harder to change her clothes when she's not inside of the gigai, but she manages, before she drags it back out of the closet, where Ichigo is sweating from dressing his own lifeless body.

They both look reluctant, but they head for each other's bodies, and merge with them.

"This is so weird." Rukia says, as she's now much taller than she's used to being.

"I was hoping I'd never have to experience being a shrimp again, but thanks to you…" Ichigo says, and Rukia has to hold back from punching him.

_Don't want to give myself any bruises or black eyes…_

"Shut up." Rukia growls, sounding every inch like Ichigo normally does, which makes him cringe.

"Don't say stuff that I normally say." He orders her, and Rukia feels funny listening to an order fly at her with her own voice.

"Shove it up your ass!" Rukia snaps, and Ichigo looks amused…she can tell because she knows her own face when it's amused.

"You're in my body…" He points out, and Rukia can't help but to stomp away from him.

She gets out in the hallway and sees Isshin charging for her.

_Shit! He thinks I'm Ichigo!_

"Good morning, Ichigo!" Isshin yells, and without thinking, Rukia hauls off and decks him before he can land on her, and proceed to torture her the way he normally does with Ichigo.

"That is the hardest you've ever punched me!" Isshin whines, and Rukia can't help but to smirk when she sees her own head poke out of the bedroom looking insulted.

"Like hell!" Ichigo roars in her voice, and Rukia starts to laugh.

Isshin shakes his head and looks back and forth between the two of them.

"Is something wrong, Rukia-chan?" Isshin asks her, but really he's asking Ichigo…

"Ichigo tried to grope me!" She hears her voice accuse, and she nearly hits the ceiling.

"What!?" She roars, and Isshin starts to laugh.

"It's about time my son made a move!" Isshin says, causing his son to scowl with Rukia's face while Rukia grimaces with his face.

"She's full of shit! Like I'd ever touch her! Have you ever seen me touch her!?" Rukia demands, while she watches her own face turn red.

"Well actually Ichigo…last night you carried her up into your bedroom…very tenderly I might add." Isshin says, causing Rukia to blush, and she sees that her own face, which Ichigo is borrowing is bright red too.

"You're insane!" Rukia insists, and Ichigo nods her head energetically while Isshin laughs.

"I've never seen you this lively, this early in the morning before." Isshin says, and Rukia wants to tear out all of Ichigo's bright spiky hair.

"Shut up!" Rukia says, doing her best to sound identical to typical Ichigo, before she tears off down the stairs…she can hear Ichigo dashing after her in her own body.

"Wait up! R…Ichigo!" She hears her voice, and she wants to laugh at the cruel joke that's been played on her.

Now that she's ahead of him in his own body, Ichigo finds himself glancing down at his new chest a lot. He can't wait for an opportunity to put his hands on it, and feel what it's like to touch them…in private of course.

"We have to get over to Urahara's as quickly as possible…I'd like my gigai back…" Rukia says in a hard voice, and Ichigo doesn't respond.

_I don't mind keeping your body for at least a day…_

He knows there is no way he can actually say that though, so he hurries behind her, realizing for once just how long his stride actually is.

_It's weird being a girl…_

He revels over what it's like being in a much shorter girl's body rather than his own for the entire walk to Urahara's shop. When they get there, they find Jinta sweeping the area in front of the store.

"Oi! Where is Urahara at?" Rukia yells angrily with Ichigo's voice causing Jinta to jump.

"The manager is not in right now." Jinta replies, and Rukia resists the urge to scream at the top of her lungs.

"Okay, when will he be back?" She asks in a clipped tone and Jinta smirks.

"What's wrong with you?" Jinta asks, and Rukia smacks him on the back of his head.

"You make sure you tell Urahara, when he gets back, to call me or Rukia immediately!" Rukia says, feeling stupid as she loses her temper in Ichigo's body.

"Roger that!" Jinta says, looking nervous, and Rukia turns to Ichigo, in her own body.

"I need to be alone…I'll be back home in a little bit." She says, before she shoves her hands into his pockets and stalks off.

Ichigo blinks. He can hardly believe she's just trusting him with her body…

He runs home _fast_.

Once there, he heads for the bathroom, and turns on the water.

"I've never been more excited about bathing in my life!" Ichigo mutters with excitement as he begins struggling with the dress she put on her body.

He shivers all over as he looks down at Rukia's naked body from what would be her perspective.

_She's got bigger breasts than I realized…_

He uses his fingers to experiment touching her breasts, and he's shocked that he can feel all of the wonderful sensations that she would feel, if she were the one inhabiting the body. He spreads his hands out, across her breasts so he can feel them fully in his hands, before he reaches down to feel what it's like below.

His finger reaches Rukia's clit and he nearly falls into the tub.

"Holy shit!" Ichigo is amazed at how sensitive she is, down there.

_She'd kill me if she knew what I was doing…_

That doesn't stop him. He's in her body, he's all alone, and nothing short of a Rukia storm will stop him from experiencing what it's like to touch her.

_What kind of idiot am I that I'm more comfortable touching her body like this than when I'm in my own body…_

Suddenly he feels a bit of moisture between Rukia's legs, and that is enough to really freak him out.

"Did I just pee myself?" He asks with horror, before he jumps in the tub, and grabs the soap.

The moment he begins to wash her body, he doesn't want to stop.

_Her skin is flawless…she's even more beautiful than I imagined, and I imagined her to be pretty damned beautiful! I have never enjoyed a shower like this!_

He takes full advantage, and really gets to know her body. He already has a very good idea of what would feel pleasurable for Rukia.

_This could always come in handy in the future, since I never want another man to see what I'm seeing now…_

He realizes he's growing even more protective and possessive of her, and he wonders how long it will take for her to notice.

_Outside…_

Rukia sighs as she stands in front of the Kurosaki residence. She doesn't feel any less stressed after her walk. She doesn't know how long she'll be stuck using Ichigo's body rather than her own gigai, but she's already decided that they'll have to sleep in soul form.

It's the oddest sensation to have man parts and she doesn't want to sleep while inhabiting his body. It's hard enough just living in it. She wonders when she'll be able to get back in her own gigai, and feel normal again.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Rukia hears a voice, so she turns around to see her friend Inoue Orihime, running towards her.

"Inoue!" Rukia calls out, sounding every inch like Ichigo and she waits for her friend to catch up to her.

Inoue finally gets up to her, and stops for a moment to catch her breath.

"Kurosaki-kun…I was wondering…would you like to go to the movies with me?" Inoue asks, and Rukia raises an eyebrow.

_She isn't really asking me, she's asking Ichigo…_

"I'm busy right now," Rukia says abruptly, doing her best to imitate Ichigo, but Inoue tugs on the back of Ichigo's shirt, stopping Rukia from walking away.

"I didn't mean now…I meant later. Like a date." Inoue says, and Rukia bites Ichigo's lip for a second.

"You know…today isn't really a good day to ask me." Rukia says carefully, so she doesn't make any decisions for Ichigo, concerning his life.

"Oh." Inoue says, looking completely crestfallen.

"Sorry I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Rukia says, and Inoue smiles brightly at her.

"It's okay, maybe next time?" She says, and Rukia can only nod Ichigo's head in response, as Inoue hurries away.

_What would Ichigo have said?_

Rukia sighs as she enters the house, but then she hears running water.

"He wouldn't…would he?!" Rukia asks out loud before she dashes upstairs, and listens the door. "Hey! Who is in there?!" Rukia asks loudly, and her heart drops when she imagines it being Ichigo but nobody answers her.

Luckily she's wearing Ichigo's substitute Shinigami badge, so she smacks herself with it, and goes right through the door. She sees her clothing has littered the floor, and she yanks the shower curtain apart to find herself looking like she's really enjoying soaping her body up.

"What the fuck!?" Rukia asks, and she watches her eyes snap open, and then a guilty look appears.

"Uh…I decided to shower…" Ichigo responds, wondering how in the hell he got so wrapped up in touching her body that he didn't sense her return.

"With my body!?" Rukia asks, looking horrified, and Ichigo still looks guilty as hell.

"It's not like you can wash it…" Ichigo says, and Rukia looks like her head is about to pop off in anger. She smacks him with the license, and proceeds to shove him out of the room.

"Pervert!" Rukia snaps, as she sends him out into the hallway where his own body lays crumpled on the floor.

"I knew I should have gotten out five minutes ago…" Ichigo grumbles, even though he understands why he was unable to. He couldn't get enough of touching Rukia.

He pretty much wants to run away now that Rukia's seen him enjoying her body so much, but he bites the bullet, and stays, waiting for her to reemerge with her fully dressed body in her arms, much to his disappointment.

"What were you thinking!?" Rukia hisses at him with a bright red face, and Ichigo can't meet her eyes no matter how brave he might be feeling.

"It was just a shower…" Ichigo tries to defend himself, but she won't hear it.

"You saw me naked!" She says, sounding mortified as hell, and Ichigo shrugs.

"There's nothing wrong with your body…what's so bad about that? If it makes you feel better, you can shower with my body…" Ichigo says, and Rukia's mouth drops open.

"No thank you!" She snaps at him, before she merges with his body again.

"Sorry…" Ichigo says, feeling like the lowest piece of shit he can, with her being so angry.

"Just don't do it again…without my permission!" Rukia says, and Ichigo nods.

She walks off towards his bedroom, in his body, and he looks at her own body laying down dressed in the hallway.

_She's leaving me alone with it again?_

He doesn't really want to hang around her when she's in her mood, nor does he really want to be with his friends while he's in her body. He decides to go for a walk. He merges with her body again, before heading downstairs and out the door.

"If Kon were in her body, he'd be getting himself into the first girls locker room he could find…but the only body I'm interested in is the one I'm actually using right now." Ichigo mutters under his breath as he heads down the sidewalk.

He turns the corner, but as he's about to pass Tatsuki's house, she walks out the front door.

"Kuchiki-san!" Tatsuki yells, and Ichigo feels weird, to be addressed like he's Rukia.

"Hey, what's going on?" Ichigo asks, feeling weird again, using Rukia's voice to talk to someone he's always talked to as Ichigo.

"Not much, what are you up to?" Tatsuki asks, and Ichigo shrugs a bit.

"Just going for a walk. I'm mad at Ichigo." He says, feeling stupid as hell.

"What did he do now?" Tatsuki asks, and Ichigo shakes Rukia's head at Tatsuki.

"Never mind. It's not important." Ichigo says, wondering what in the hell Rukia might normally tell the girls when they corner her alone.

"When are the two of you going to give it up and admit you're a couple?" Tatsuki asks, and Ichigo's mouth drops open.

"_What_!?" He asks with Rukia's voice, and Tatsuki rolls her eyes at him.

"Come on…you're acting like this is the first time we've had this conversation…" Tatsuki says, grinning knowingly at Rukia, who is actually Ichigo.

"I don't remember talking about this in the past." Ichigo says, crossing Rukia's arms, and glaring at Tatsuki, who bursts out into laughter.

"You're practically acting like him now!" She says, truly amused, and Ichigo has to hold himself back from kicking the shit out of his childhood friend for pushing too many buttons.

Instead he just walks away from her, truly annoyed at the treatment Rukia has to suffer when he's not with her.

_She wouldn't have said that if I had been in my body and had passed by her house._

"Don't be mad Kuchiki-san!" Tatsuki calls out, but Ichigo doesn't turn around, he just hurries as fast as Rukia's tiny legs will carry him, away from his old friend.

As he gets closer to the general store, where more people are outside, he becomes far more conscious of Rukia's very cute face and feminine figure. It's a bit disturbing to see some of the lecherous looks on some of the men's faces as he passes them, knowing precisely what they're thinking about Rukia. He doesn't like it one bit…the looks aren't nearly as brazen when he's with her.

_I wonder why she even stays here with me…_

As Ichigo continues down the sidewalk, he heads for a side alley he always uses, in the hopes of getting a tiny bit of privacy, but instead he walks into more trouble than he anticipated he might, being in Rukia's body for less than a full day at this point.

"Look what we have here!" A male voice says, and Ichigo squints.

_This alley is usually deserted…_

"A really cute girl! I bet she wants to have some fun with us! What do you think?" Another voice says, and Ichigo feels his ire rising.

_Has Rukia ever had to deal with this?! This is the fucking trash of the human race! I don't even want to eliminate them for fear they'll go to Soul Society and be trash there!_

"I'm not in the mood for any shit, so if you don't say another word to me, I'll let you go with your testicles intact." Ichigo says in Rukia's hardest voice, but his threat is completely ignored.

"Oh she's a feisty one! I'm going to love fucking her!" The first guy says, and the mere thought of being raped while he's got Rukia's body…or Rukia being raped at all is completely unacceptable to him.

Ichigo can feel his chest tightening up in anger, and he can feel his face heat up. His entire body is tingling with the desire to move, and kick some fucking ass, but he remembers what it was like to fight when he was Rukia's height, and he knows he'll have more of an advantage if he waits for their movement first, before he decides his own moves.

_I am guarding a very precious gigai…I won't let anything happen to it._

The moment the first guy tries to grab him, Ichigo drops to the ground and does a low kick right at the guy's ankles causing him to crash to the ground. He doesn't stop there, he kicks at the other guy's legs as well so that they're both on the ground.

He shoves his elbow into the first guy's crotch, and raises Rukia's leg before he brings her tiny heel down on the other guy's crotch. Ichigo pops up to Rukia's feet, amazed at how mobile and flexible her gigai is…a bit more than his own body usually is.

He brings Rukia's foot down and stomps on both guys for a good minute, before he feels like he's damaged them enough to be able to continue on his way.

_Later…_

Ichigo is nervous, because Rukia still hasn't spoken to him, and everyone is unusually quiet at the dinner table. The entire family has asked the both of them what was wrong, but neither of them had given them an answer.

Isshin is the only one with any inkling of what's truly wrong, and he won't give away that he knows…because he has a feeling that both his son and Rukia will beat him until he's practically dead if they figure it out.

"Thanks for dinner." Rukia says abruptly, and she stands to head upstairs.

"I wonder what's wrong with Ichi-ni. He's been acting strangely all day." Karin says, and Ichigo stands next.

"Thanks for dinner, it was wonderful!" Ichigo says, doing his best to imitate Rukia's usual act, and he really wants to hit his father when he looks like he might laugh.

"Rukia-chan, why don't you go see what's wrong with my idiot son? I bet if you try to cheer him up, he will. You have that effect on him you know." Isshin says with a big smile, and Ichigo feels his arm twitch from wanting to hit his father as he normally would.

"I do not!" Ichigo protests, horrified that everyone knows about Rukia's effect on him.

"Dad's not lying. You really do have that effect you know." Yuzu says, and Ichigo can feel himself heating up as he hurries out of the room.

_I hate dealing with other people in Rukia's body! This sucks! Being a girl sucks!_

He hurries up to his room and walks inside. He finds Rukia in Shinigami form, and she smacks him in the head with his license the moment he shuts the door behind him.

"What are you doing Rukia! What if they come up here?!" Ichigo asks, and Rukia crosses her arms.

"I don't care. We'll deal with it if it happens, but after what you pulled today with the whole shower deal, you're out for now." Rukia says in a hard voice, and Ichigo scoffs.

"Yet you let me walk around town in it." He grumbles, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"What did you do, Ichigo! Tell me you didn't do something stupid!" She says, worrying about what he may have been capable of, since he didn't have any qualms about bathing while having temporary ownership of her gigai, and had even told her she could shower in his!

"I didn't do anything!" Ichigo snaps at her, and she sighs.

"Thank goodness…I don't like you using my body…it feels like you could violate it at any time!" Rukia says, and Ichigo's face heats up as he remembers what it was like to touch Rukia's breast and then her clit.

"Like I could do that…you have the license!" Ichigo protests, and Rukia smacks him.

"You mean you _thought_ about it!?" She asks, and Ichigo just blushes.

_What guy wouldn't!?_

"Only just now when you brought it up!" He shouts, and Rukia doesn't appear to believe him.

"Nee-san! Nee-san! Nee-san!" Kon is still locked in the drawer, but both Rukia and Ichigo continue ignoring him. Neither of them want to deal with him on top of everything else.

They hear footsteps coming up the door, so they both hurry to the other's bodies, and just in time as Yuzu pops her head in to stare with worry at them.

"Are you two okay?" She asks, and Rukia nods Ichigo's head at his sister,

"We're fine." Rukia says, but Yuzu doesn't appear convinced.

"I know! I'll bring you up some cookies I made!" She announces before she shuts the door and runs away. Rukia just keeps glaring at Ichigo with his own eyes, and it's disturbing to him.

"Stop it!" He growls at her, and they both just glare…both unwilling to give in.

_Two Days Later…_

"I can't believe Urahara hasn't been at the shop, and hasn't answered his phone! I'm beginning to think he had something to do with this!" Rukia mutters as she glares at Ichigo's body laying lifelessly on the bed.

"Rukia…my body hasn't been bathed since I was last in it…and it doesn't look like we're switching back anytime soon. Why don't you-" He's stopped by Rukia's fist going into his belly.

"And you're enjoying this whole ordeal far too much!" She snaps at him, and Ichigo just groans, since she packs quite a punch. It's a few moments before he can actually speak.

"Being angry doesn't solve anything!" Ichigo insists, and Rukia goes back over to her own body to try merging with it, like she's already done several times a day since they switched.

"I can't believe I still can't enter my own body again! How long will I have to live being you?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo scoffs.

"Isn't it harder to be you?" He asks, and that puts a complete halt on all of Rukia's anger.

"What do you mean?" She asks him with a look of confusion, and he sighs.

"The way people talk to you…they way they treat you…the way that look at you and think of you. Isn't that a lot harder than what I have to deal with?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia guffaws.

"Oh yes, I just love getting into fistfights with your father first thing in the morning, getting asked on dates by girls, not to mention having to scowl all of the time and be miserable in general!" Rukia snaps, and Ichigo raises his eyebrows.

"Getting asked…" Ichigo stops and shakes his head. "…don't screw with me, Rukia." He says, and Rukia wants to throttle him.

"Inoue asked! She asked me on a date while I was in your body!" Rukia snaps at him, and Ichigo wrinkles his nose.

"Yeah right, she and I are friends…that's it." Ichigo protests, and Rukia does clobber him this time.

"Obviously she wants to be more!" She snaps in his face.

"What did you say? Please tell me you didn't agree to go on a date with her! That would be so weird!" Ichigo says, and Rukia blinks at him.

"Of course I didn't go on a date with her! I told her to ask me some other time!" Rukia says, and Ichigo looks like he wants to gag.

"Why didn't you tell her never in a million years? That's what I would have said if someone would have asked me out while I was in your body." Ichigo says, and Rukia just gawks at him.

"Well…keep in mind, this was before I caught you enjoying a shower in my gigai! Just before, in fact! I would have certainly told her no chance on earth if I'd known what you were doing to my gigai while you were in possession of it!" Rukia yells, and Ichigo turns red.

"Stop making it sound so twisted!" He begs, and Rukia scoffs.

"I'm saying what happened! You're the one who went over the line!" Rukia snaps, and he can only blush, since he knows he should have had her permission first.

"That doesn't change the fact that my body has to be bathed!" Ichigo reminds her, and he gets clobbered again.

_Boy she's cranky…_

"Get your mind out of the gutter!" She snaps at him, before she gets in his body, and stalks out of his room.

_Later…_

"Ichigo…do you mind moving a little further away? You smell funny." Isshin says, and Rukia turns bright red, even as her own face is shooting her a triumphant look.

"I don't think he's bathed in days!" Rukia hears her own voice telling his father, and Isshin looks disgusted.

"Go and take a shower!" Isshin yells, and Rukia wants to run away.

"Leave me alone!" Rukia yells, and she tries to run away, but she finds herself caught on the back of the collar by Isshin, who is dragging her up the stairs.

"No son of mine is going days without bathing." Isshin says, and all of the blood drains from Rukia's face.

_I don't want to! This is not how I imagined my first experience touching Ichigo all over his body! _

Isshin opens the door and shoves her inside.

"Do I have to stay in here to make sure you take care of business?" Isshin asks pointedly, and Rukia quickly shakes Ichigo's head no.

"Fine! I'll shower!" She snaps, even though she's sure she might murder Ichigo later, when he's out of her gigai.

She turns on the water, and then closes her eyes to undress.

"How was he able to enjoy washing my body so much in private? I feel so wrong right now…" Rukia mutters, even as she feels for the edge of the tub to get inside.

She can't deny, the moment the water touches Ichigo's skin, she can feel how good it feels to be getting clean. She keeps her eyes closed though, as she hunts for the shampoo. She holds the bottle up that she's found, and peeks very quickly to make sure she's grabbed the right one, and begins to wash his hair.

"I don't ever remember washing hair this short." Rukia mutters, before she feels for the edge to set the bottle down, and then she hunts for the soap.

_I want to get this over with as quickly as possible…_

The problem is…the moment she starts to scrub his body, she feels herself getting turned on…and she feels Ichigo's body responding to her feelings for him.

She is quite sure she is bright red, and she refuses to look down, to see what she can feel has happened, but when it comes time to wash him down there, she puts her hand on his penis, and instantly she feels a rush of pleasure rush through his body which she has merged with.

_I think I'm beginning to understand why Ichigo enjoyed showering in my gigai so much…wait…exactly how intimate did he get with my gigai while he was alone with it!?_

Rukia forces herself to hurry, and ignore how good it felt to touch his private parts…or how much his body is begging her to keep touching him there. She doesn't want to be a hypocrite.

Once she feels like she's washed all of the soap and shampoo off, since she refuses to look, she turns off the water and feels for a towel. She quickly wraps it around herself, before she rushes to Ichigo's room, and smacks herself with his substitute license.

She breathes a sigh of relief that she's out of his ridiculously sexy body. It's hard for her to regain her composure, but she does before Ichigo gets into her room, wearing a smirk, until he sees that she left his freshly bathed body on the bed.

"Thanks Rukia…but you could have gotten dressed you know." Ichigo says, and Rukia just stays quiet.

Ichigo feels like there's a knot in his stomach. He hopes she didn't hate bathing with his body, he was hoping she might be a little more understanding after she experienced it herself.

_Two Days Later…_

Rukia relents, and lets Ichigo go into the shower with her gigai again. She begins to wonder if she'll ever get her gigai back, or if she can have a new one made, but Urahara still isn't back, and he's the only one in the living world who can make her a suitable gigai.

She's still a bit befuddled that Ichigo spends a half hour showering with her body, but she manages to remain calm and not ask him any questions when he gets back in a fresh dress, looking like he's in an excellent mood.

"You still think it's harder to be me?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo shrugs as he remembers the thrill of washing her body, and the shame of having to put on a dress.

"It has its upsides and its downsides." He says honestly, and Rukia tosses the pillow at him.

"Shut up!" She growls, resisting the urge to ask if he enjoyed showering with her body that much.

A knock at the door creates the perfect distraction.

"Come in!" Rukia calls out with Ichigo's voice, and they both look a bit surprised when Inoue walks in, holding two tickets.

"Hi Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue says brightly, and Ichigo remembers what Rukia said about Inoue asking him on a date.

"Hey." Ichigo says with Rukia's voice in an apprehensive tone.

"Hey Inoue." Rukia says as Ichigo, sure that nothing will happen since Ichigo is standing there in her body.

"I think I mentioned this to you the other day Kurosaki-kun, but I was hoping today you might want to go to that movie with me." Inoue says boldly, and Rukia's so shocked that Ichigo's mouth drops open.

Ichigo of course, doesn't like the idea of himself being seen on a date with Inoue, so he jumps in front of Rukia and holds up Rukia's hands.

"Ichigo already has plans with me." Ichigo says, and Inoue's eyes widen.

"These tickets can be used tomorrow too…" She says, and Ichigo shakes Rukia's head.

"He's got plans with me tomorrow too." Ichigo tells Inoue with Rukia's voice.

"Are the two of you…dating?" Inoue asks in a small voice, and Ichigo just nods Rukia's head at Inoue, while Rukia stares at her own head nodding with shock.

"Yeah, we're together now…we've even showered together." Ichigo says in Rukia's voice, causing her to pinch him from behind.

"Don't tell people that!" Rukia snaps at him, and Inoue just looks down.

"Oh…I'm sorry." Inoue says, and then she runs out, while Rukia can't stop staring at Ichigo.

"What do you mean, we're dating?" She asks him, and he shrugs at her.

"What's wrong with me saying that?" He asks, and Rukia sits down on the bed while staring at her own face with a look of disbelief.

"It's not true!" Rukia says, and Ichigo crosses her arms as he regards her.

"Why can't it be true?" He asks quietly, and Rukia's eyes widen.

_The Next Day…_

Ichigo sighs. Rukia has been avoiding him as best she could ever since he asked her about being a couple, but she's currently in the bathroom, after washing his body again, since it had been necessary. Of course he'd had to threaten to tell his father about her not bathing again, to convince her to do it.

"Nee-san! I'm dying in here!" Kon shrieks out, and Ichigo sighs before he unlocks the drawer and pulls Kon out, who leaps at his chest.

"Get off!" Ichigo snaps, but Kon can't hear him.

"Oh my nee-san! To be this close to your wondrous bosom!" Kon breathes, before Ichigo locks him back up in the drawer.

"Sick fucking mod soul" Ichigo mutters, before his mind goes to Rukia.

_She's been in there a long time…what is she doing?_

Ichigo heads out into the hallway, in Rukia's body, and he goes to the bathroom door to listen, but he doesn't hear anything.

"Oi!" Ichigo calls out, and then he hears her scramble a bit.

"What!?" His voice sounds panicked as she responds to him.

"What are you doing? Are you okay?" Ichigo asks, and she doesn't seem to like that question.

"I'm fine! Go away!" She sounds way too suspicious for him to leave it alone, and so he goes to grab one of his sister's bobby pins from their bedroom, before hurries back and picks the lock, to let himself in while she protests from the inside.

"Let me in!" Ichigo yells, as he tries to push the door open, but she's leaning on it with all of her weight.

"No!" Rukia replies, but he gives it a really good shove, and she pitches to the floor in his body as he's able to get inside.

She's got his body in boxers, but he can still see what the problem is…his body is aroused. He blushes, since it's obvious she's embarrassed, and in this instance, he is too.

"What the hell?" Ichigo asks in a bare whisper, and Rukia fights the urge to cover his crotch with his hands, to hide his boner from him since she already knows it's pointless.

Instead, she feels a tear slide down her cheek as she finally confides in him.

"I can't wash your body without getting turned on!" She practically wails at him, and Ichigo starts to smile.

"Really? That's hot." He says, and Rukia looks horrified.

"No! It's all wrong! I shouldn't know what it's like to have a boner!" Rukia yells loudly enough that he has to lean down to cover up his own mouth.

"Are you insane!? Do you want my family to hear you!?" He hisses at her, and she shakes his head no.

"What am I supposed to do!? It won't go away!" Rukia says in a desolate voice, and Ichigo wants to laugh.

"What do you mean?" He asks, and Rukia looks like she's about to weep.

"I've been standing here since I got out of the shower…not touching your body except to put on the boxers, but it won't stop!" Rukia says with a blush, pointing at his crotch.

"There's a way to stop it." Ichigo says softly, and Rukia looks at him.

"How?!" She asks desperately, and he reaches down with her own hand, to show her what it's like to be touched down there.

_This is fucked up…she's getting a hand job before I do! When I did it in the past it was just masturbating!_

"Like this." Ichigo tells her, as he slips his hand in the slit of the boxers, and takes a hold of the erection that's been plaguing her. She gasps.

"What are you doing!?" She asks him nervously, but he doesn't stop, instead he leans down to kiss her.

Rukia is powerless to stop him, since he is immediately touching her in a way that his body seems to appreciate instinctively…so she closes her eyes, and allows him to have his way, so he continues to kiss and massage her until she climaxes.

Rukia is shocked as the stiffness between her legs quickly subsides, after his attentions, and she opens her eyes to stare at him in shock.

"That's how?! What did you do before!?" She wails, and he looks away from her.

"I did it myself. That's not the only way." He mutters, and Rukia stares at him in confusion as he stands and walks out of the room.

Rukia takes a few deep breaths, and once again feels like everything is just so completely wrong…that she liked the feel of Ichigo doing that to her. That she had let him do it at all…

_I really can't take this much longer…_

Rukia hurries to get dressed, and join Ichigo in his room, and when she gets in there, she sees her own face looking very serious.

"What's wrong?" She asks him, and he locks into her eyes with his own, reminding her of times she's spoken to herself in the mirror.

"Rukia…you're a virgin, right?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia cannot speak for a moment. Instead a squeak comes out.

"…huh?" Rukia finally manages to get out, and Ichigo sighs.

"Are you? Answer me, it's important!" He tells her, and Rukia doesn't know what to think as this is very personal.

"I don't see how that's your business…" Rukia says, and Ichigo gives her a quick look that makes her stop talking.

"The way I see it…we're going to end up with each other, whether or not we get our bodies back…and so, I was thinking if that's the case, we should do it now, while we're in each other's bodies." Ichigo says, and Rukia just gapes at him.

"Do what?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo looks away from her.

"Make love." He says, before he walks out of the room, leaving Rukia to walk over to his bed and sit while deep in thought.

She's torn about what to do. She does love Ichigo…and now she knows he loves her, but isn't it wrong for them to make love for the first time like this?

_It would be like making love to myself…but…it would be interesting to experience it from his point of view._

She figures she'll just remain confused until she finds the right answer.

_Later…_

When they get back into the bedroom, Ichigo yanks the license out of Rukia's pocket before she can smack him in the head with it.

"Hey! I want to try getting back in my body!" Rukia tells him, and he shakes his head no.

"We're a couple, right Rukia?" He asks, and she looks away.

"…Um…" She doesn't want to answer.

"Right?" He asks more severely, and Rukia just nods her head once.

He stares at her for a good minute, willing her to actually say something. She finally notices, and lowers his head.

"Right." She says, and Ichigo sighs in relief.

"Then we can't let this one thing stop us." He says, and Rukia shakes his head at him.

"Do you really want to make love to yourself that badly!?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo blushes.

"It's you in there…not me." He says, before he walks up to her and puts his hand over her crotch, which of course gives Rukia an immediate reaction.

_Why does he have to be so damned sensitive down there!?_

"Quit that…" Rukia growls at him, and he shakes his head.

"We could go into soul form, and do this the right way, or you can let me show you how much I love you by being the one who has to go through the pain a girl experiences her first time." Ichigo tells her, and Rukia is shocked.

_I hadn't even thought it through that far…_

"Why do you want to do that?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo sighs.

"Because I don't want to make you cry our first time." He tells her, and Rukia nods her head in agreement.

"Fine…" She says, and he nods his head too. He yanks her dress of fast as can be, and then relieves her of the clothing he usually wears.

"I'm glad," Ichigo tells her, and Rukia feels weird to see her own face coming closer to her.

"Does this mean we're a little bit gay?" She asks, and she watches her eyes nearly pop out of her gigai.

"No it doesn't mean that!" Ichigo snaps at her, before he pushes her back and straddles her.

Rukia closes her eyes, and simply imagines it's the other way around as they kiss…but it becomes impossible to do that when she feels him grab at the arousal between her legs again.

He holds her erection straight up, and begins to rub it against himself, though he's in her body, moaning at how nice it feels.

_It's not all bad, being a girl…_

He's already turned on, because the very idea of losing his virginity with Rukia was enough to make him moist between the legs, and with her having his body…a little bit of massaging was all it took to get her as hard as a rock.

He reaches down to massage his own testicles, and Rukia moans some more when he does that. He hopes she remembers how nice this all feels from his point of view, whenever they manage to make it back to their correct bodies.

He begins to lower himself down, and Rukia groans, before she grabs him by the legs and uses his own power to push him completely down. She feels the moment she pierces through her own virginity, which is a feeling she never expected to experience, and Ichigo looks like he's trying to deal with whatever pain he's experiencing, so he doesn't move against her.

_That hurt more than I thought!_

Ichigo is really very glad that Rukia doesn't ever have to feel this…unless this isn't good enough to remove it from her soul form, which he really hopes isn't the case, because her entire gigai is throbbing from the stress of that sacred barrier being broken.

She hasn't reached out to touch him while he's in her body, and he's not really surprised. She got turned on washing his body, and for Ichigo…that's enough. He was able to get them both turned on, without the type of touching they'll both enjoy if they're ever able to return to their rightful bodies.

"Shit!" Rukia cries out, and Ichigo looks at her…

"What?" He asks, and Rukia looks really regretful…

"It feels like your entire body is about to spasm like it did earlier…" She mutters at him, and so Ichigo moves up and down a bit over her, which causes him to watch his own eyes roll back into his head from the waves of pleasure she experiences.

He watches himself orgasm, which is very weird, since he looks kind of goofy, and then he realizes that the throbbing below is getting a bit worse because he moved some more.

"Wow." Ichigo says, as he pulls Rukia's gigai off of his body, and stands up.

"You're bleeding." Rukia points out, and Ichigo doesn't like hearing that.

She stands and locates him a pair of underwear and a sanitary napkin, before she climbs back into bed to trip over the fact that she lost her virginity in Ichigo's body. She looks over though, and suddenly sees him playing with her breasts, looking highly entertained. He sees her catch him and he blushes.

"They're nice." He defends himself, before he climbs into bed with her.

They don't go to soul form…instead, they fall asleep holding each other.

_The Next Morning…_

When Rukia wakes up, she's surprised to see that she's looking at Ichigo's face, instead of her own, since she's actually become a bit used to looking at herself, while being in his body.

"We're back!" Rukia says joyfully, which causes Ichigo to wake up and look at her in surprise.

"Rukia!" He sounds happy and astonished that he's no longer using her gigai.

"Somehow…we're back to normal!" Rukia exclaims as she sits up, and Ichigo looks very appreciative.

"It's even nicer to look at them from this point of view." He says as he stares at her exposed chest, and Rukia hits him in the head.

"Shut up!" She growls, before she jumps out of bed, and runs to the closet.

"I don't have to…my girlfriend is sexy and I'm not ashamed to say so!" Ichigo calls back, and Rukia just blushes at that.

_Figures it would take something fucked up like this, for us to become a couple._

* * *

"I can't believe he didn't figure out it was you…or that he bought the story that I had to leave town on emergency…" Urahara says, and Isshin laughs.

"I am surprised we got away with it…it's only because I treated Rukia-chan like she was really Ichigo though. I must admit, she was tougher on me than he usually is in the morning." Isshin says, and Urahara laughs.

"And now they're together? You managed to get everything you wanted out of this scheme!" Urahara says, and Isshin laughs.

"I'm not the King for nothing." Isshin says, before he walks out the door, and Urahara smiles.

_An amazing King, with an amazing mind…I like the result of Isshin's prank!_


	8. As Requested: Worst Nightmare

**A/N-This is actually two requests in one…no matter how hard it may be for you guys to read, because it was kind of hard to write, I hope you all finish it through to the end! It's dedicated to the ones that requested it, please enjoy!**

_Worst Nightmare_

"Rukia." Ichigo says it in a strange tone, so she sits up and regards him intently.

"What?" She asks, and he gives her a piercing stare.

"Now that Aizen is dead…can it really be peaceful?" He asks, and she gives him a soft smile…the one that makes his heart skip a beat.

"There will always be hollows like the one we just fought, to kill…" Rukia reminds him, and he nods his head.

"But fighting them is like fighting humans at this point. I didn't even get scratched. At this point, I only worry about running into Vasto Lorde Menos Grande hollows. All this was good for, was a wake up call." Ichigo says, and Rukia stands up.

"I didn't realize how much you liked risking your life before…" She tells him, and he shakes his head at her as he lays in his bed to rest a minute before getting dressed for school.

"It's not that…" He looks away, and even though she'd been about to walk out of the room, instead she walks over to his bedside.

"Then what is it?" She asks him in a hard voice that lets him know she won't allow him to dodge the question.

"Is it really okay to finally relax? Everything in my soul is telling me not to relax yet." He tells her, and she smiles again.

"Ichigo. If there is one thing I have learned throughout the years, it's that you should always trust your gut feelings. I don't think it's okay to relax, if your instincts are telling you that you shouldn't." She tells him, and he grins at her.

_She always has believed in me._

* * *

Everyone else is already together outside eating lunch, but Ichigo isn't in the mood to sit with all of his friends at the moment, so he keeps himself nearby and out of sight as he tries to understand what his feelings are telling him.

Suddenly a strange figure materializes in front of Ichigo…but it's not a hollow…and it's not a Shinigami.

"What in the hell are you?" Ichigo asks, since it looks like an overgrown teenage kid, bigger than Sado, and tougher looking too. He has black hair, green eyes, and an evil looking smile.

"I am a servant of hell. My name is Ijin. We have orders for you." The kid says in a menacing voice, and Ichigo blinks.

"I am not under the command of hell." Ichigo says as he indicates his substitute Shinigami badge.

"You will follow the orders regardless…or we will destroy your nakama completely." Ijin says in a laidback tone, and Ichigo scowls.

"You'd have to go through me first." Ichigo says, and Ijin laughs in amusement at him.

"How incredibly naïve you are! Do you think your Shinigami powers have any damage effect at all on servants from hell? We are immune to your Shinigami powers…your hollow powers…and your human powers. You don't have the ability to cut me." Ijin says, which makes Ichigo pop out of his body.

"I'll have to test it now that you've said that." Ichigo says, and he yanks Zangetsu off of his back while trying to look as intimidating as possible.

"Go ahead." Ijin says with a yawn, since this is obviously the type of human that needs to see with his own eyes that a servant of hell is not affected by a Shinigami, hollow, or human.

Ichigo swings his blade at Ijin's neck, and he's very shocked that the blade passes through as though he's about to decapitate the kid after being told he couldn't cut him…but when his blade comes out the other side of the neck, Ijin's head does not come off…in fact no blood sprays out, and it's as if he wasn't really there when Ichigo swung.

"What the fuck?" Ichigo breathes, and Ijin yawns again.

"I'm getting bored. Let me just tell you your orders." The kid says, and Ichigo narrows his eyes at the servant of hell.

"Huh?" Ichigo says, tightening his grip on Zangetsu.

"You are to marry Inoue Orihime, without any delay." Ijin says, and Ichigo swings Zangetsu again, even harder. Once again, it's futile.

"Like hell I'll marry her!" Ichigo snaps, and Ijin suddenly doesn't look bored anymore.

"So you forfeit all of the lives of your nakama then?" Ijin asks excitedly, and Ichigo scoffs.

"No I do not!" Ichigo snaps, and Ijin looks taken aback.

"It's one or the other. Either you marry Inoue Orihime, or your nakama dies." Ijin says, and Ichigo crosses his arms.

"You can't do that." Ichigo says, and Ijin's eyes start to sparkle with a red light.

"Then a demonstration is necessary. Which nakama should I destroy to prove we mean business?" Ijin asks as he looks over at Ichigo's friends.

"What!?" Ichigo asks, horrified at the question itself.

"Not Arisawa Tatsuki, she is the best friend of the bride to be. Not Kuchiki Rukia, because I want her to be on your mind after you see what I am capable of. I know. This will be effective." Ijin says with a smile.

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asks angrily, but Ijin raises his arms out and his eyes go completely red.

"Hell has decided to take the life of Sado Yasutora. You won't get to say goodbye. Die! Sado Yasutora!" Ijin says in a voice that sounds more evil than a hollow, and Ichigo turns his head in horror…then watches as Sado's body explodes all over the rest of his friends.

Tears are running down Ichigo's face before he even realizes it's happened.

"Sado!" Ichigo whispers in agony since his body feels like it too, might explode.

"You believe me now, don't you?" Ijin asks, and Ichigo can hardly breathe at all.

"Yeah…" Ichigo's voice is not strong at all…

"Marry Inoue Orihime…or Kuchiki Rukia will be next. Also…Inoue Orihime has to believe you truly love her. If she knows the real reason you are marrying her, it will be a breach of contract and Kuchiki Rukia will still die. Nobody is to know about our arrangement. Nobody." Ijin says, before he disappears.

The very idea of Rukia blowing up into smithereens is too much for Ichigo to bear. Losing Sado is bad enough, he can't lose Rukia too.

Ichigo suddenly begins to worry about how in the hell he'll convince Inoue to marry him…and that he loves her, since he's sure she knows he only has eyes for Rukia. Then he feels like shit that he's thinking about that rather than mourning his friend's death.

_That Night…_

Ichigo lays in bed, wondering why this is all happening to him, when he suddenly hears a voice.

"If you aren't married to Inoue Orihime within the month, Kuchiki Rukia will die."

Ichigo sits straight up.

_What if Inoue won't have any of this? How am I supposed to get her to marry me anyways?!_

Ichigo realizes he doesn't have all of the time in the world, so he quickly gets dressed, and hops out of the window.

The whole way to Inoue's house, he feels like shit. He doesn't want to marry her…he only likes her as a friend, but now he has to convince her he's in love with her.

_What a shitty way to treat a good friend who has saved my life and Rukia's so many times. _

He reaches Inoue's apartment faster than he thought he might, and when he gets there, he can tell the lights are off, but he knocks anyways. After a moment he hears a voice.

"Coming!" Inoue calls out, and when she opens the door in her nightgown, she's beyond stunned to see Ichigo there.

"Inoue…" Ichigo trails off.

_How am I supposed to fool a friend anyways?_

"Is something wrong?" Inoue asks as she studies the troubled expression on his face.

_I suppose now is as good a time as any to start with the lying…_

"Actually…I'm troubled over you." Ichigo says, feeling instantly better since that sentence at least isn't a lie.

"Over me, Kurosaki-kun?" Inoue asks, putting her hand over her heart.

Ichigo is surprised by her reaction…she looks so damned happy just because he's troubled over her.

"Yeah." Ichigo says, hating that he's going to have to lie for sure now.

"Why?" Inoue asks, and Ichigo looks away from her, since he doesn't want her to see that he's lying even as he speaks.

"Because…I fell for you a long time ago." Ichigo says, hating the way those words make his ears hurt like nails down a chalkboard…wondering if maybe he'd be better off killing himself.

_Would Rukia have to die if I killed myself?_

"Not only would Kuchiki Rukia die, but your entire family, and anybody who's ever had a nice thought about you on earth will also be terminated!" Ijin's voice is so loud, but Inoue doesn't appear to have heard it.

_So hell is in my mind too? _

"You…did?" Inoue sounds so moved…so damned happy that Ichigo's gaze snaps to her face, and inside he's horrified by her reaction…except for the fact that it saves Rukia's life.

_Maybe she won't say no if I ask her now…_

"I want to get married…immediately." Ichigo says, with his voice cracking.

"Me too! I've never wanted anything more in my life!" Inoue cries out, and Ichigo can literally feel his heart shattering inside of his chest.

"Thank you…Inoue." Ichigo says, feeling like he's losing a huge piece of himself in the very literal transaction from hell.

"Are you okay, since Sado-kun died…" Inoue asks him with concern, and Ichigo feels tears pouring from his eyes again.

"I don't know if I'll ever get over Sado's death." Ichigo says in a low voice, and suddenly Inoue is hugging him. He doesn't hug her back.

"I will do everything I can, to be the very best wife to my Kurosaki-kun." Inoue says in an emotional voice.

Ichigo knows it's strange that they still address each other so formally…but he can't make himself ask her to call him Ichigo.

"Okay. I think I'll go home…" Ichigo says, but then Inoue grabs his arm.

"Why don't you stay here tonight? You look tired." She says softly.

"That may be true…but after what happened with Sado…" He trails off and Inoue lets go of him.

"I understand…but if you change your mind, the offer is still open." She says, and he nods his head before he walks away from her. Then he suddenly turns back.

"Inoue. I don't want to announce this until after we've said goodbye to Sado." He tells her, and Inoue nods her head in understanding.

"It would be rude." She agrees, and Ichigo continues on his way.

_The Next Day…_

Ichigo decides not to go to school…he can't concentrate, he couldn't even sleep. Sado's funeral is today, and he really feels like maybe these happenings are worse than when Aizen was threatening their livelihood.

_At least Aizen didn't try to get me married to Inoue…_

He's also been worrying about what he'll say to his family. He's already decided to put it off. How is he supposed to tell them that he's getting married immediately to Inoue? Even harder…how is he supposed to tell Rukia?

She has left him alone since pieces of Sado's body landed on her…in fact he hasn't spoken to her at all. He knows she cared about Sado too…and he wonders if she's okay. He also wonders if she'll be hurt when she learns he's intending to marry Inoue.

He's had too much to think about to get any sleep at all.

Every single worry he has is a major concern…his best friend's death…Rukia's feelings…trying to convincingly act like he's in love with Inoue…his future in general.

_If I don't have Rukia I have nothing…but because I love her more than myself, I will do all that I can to ensure she keeps living. _

_Even if you and I are both in pain over it…because I want to see your face…I want to sense your reiatsu…and I want to make wedding vows with you. I don't know if there will ever be a way for that to happen…but I will keep living for that day, and hope you forgive my selfishness._

* * *

"I guess I should listen more seriously when Ichigo says he has a bad feeling. What on earth could have caused Sado to blow up? I'm worried about Ichigo's mental and emotional health right now." Rukia says fervently into her spirit phone to Renji, who sighs into the phone.

"I'll ask the captain if I can come with the investigation team since Sado hasn't arrived in Soul Society…he should have after he died, but he didn't! How could he have been destroyed so completely?" Renji asks her loudly over the phone, and Rukia feels tears coming down her cheeks that she didn't realize were on the verge of spilling.

"Renji! I had pieces of him all over me…it was disturbing to put it mildly! I might need some psychiatric care with these events. I haven't been able to speak to Ichigo at all. He hasn't even seen me when he's looking right at me…it's as if he's expecting me to blow up too!" Rukia says, feeling more frantic than she did when she was getting ready to fight the Ninth Espada that ate Kaien-dono in his spiritual form after he'd merged with that disgusting hollow.

"You are not going to blow up…don't even say that out loud!" Renji says, sounding quite affected by her words.

"It's…as if Ichigo knows something that the rest of us don't…but I don't see how he could, because he would want to destroy whatever it was that killed Sado! Nothing could stop him!" Rukia says into the phone.

"One thing could." Renji says before he hangs up, and Rukia's tears increase.

_Why did Sado have to blow up?! Why did such a good person have to die?_

Rukia wants to talk to Ichigo, but she also wants to give him his space. She knows how close the two were, because he told her about how he met Sado…and how he refused to fight for his own sake. Then there was the promise the two had made with each other to think about as well.

_Sado's death is paining my heart so much…so it must be a hundred times worse for Ichigo. I'll leave him alone._

She decides to lay down for now, and try to clear her mind, even though that is impossible.

_Later…_

Rukia can see Ichigo's pain as they have all gathered for the funeral. Inoue has made her way next to Ichigo, and it's obvious she's worried too. That doesn't bother Rukia though, because she knows that Inoue and Sado trained together, and were probably very close too. Probably closer than she had ever been with Sado.

_I refuse to make things any harder on Ichigo than what they already are._

The tears are the hardest to see. Sado was well respected among all of his friends, and the Shinigami, who also have gathered in large numbers, disappointed that Sado's life was taken so completely…since they expected him to be a high ranking officer in Soul Society once it was his time to go there.

Rukia saw, when Ichigo learned of the truth…that Sado wasn't just dead as a human, that his soul form had been destroyed too. He only looked mildly surprised though, as if he'd been expecting it. She cannot allow herself to believe Ichigo would withhold any information about Sado's death if he had it, and she still has no doubt that Ichigo would be fighting if he knew who the culprit was.

Yet she cannot stop that nagging feeling that everything is about to get much worse.

_The Next Morning…_

When Rukia walks back into Ichigo's room, to walk with him to school, she doesn't find him there like always. She feels disappointment, but she accepts it.

_When Kaien-dono died, I didn't want to be in anyone else's presence…perhaps it's the same for Ichigo._

Rukia decides to head to school, but when she turns the corner, she sees Ichigo walking with Inoue, alone. Rukia screeches to a halt, unseen by them, and she raises an eyebrow.

_Maybe they're talking about Sado…and I shouldn't interfere._

Then Rukia watches as Inoue reaches out to touch Ichigo's arm…a bold move for Inoue in comparison to how she's treated him in the past, and even though she can tell Ichigo flinches at the touch, he doesn't step away from her.

_I don't know why…but this bothers me…why is he turning to her instead of me? I wanted him to come to me._

Rukia wonders if she should go back and climb into Ichigo's closet…but the silence will only make her remember the moment of Sado's death and the next minute or so after…the explosion, the blood, the shock, the panic, and the despair.

Later she'll wish she would have stayed in the closet, the school day ends up being that bad.

_At Lunch…_

Everyone is together, and everyone is very quiet. Inoue is in between Tatsuki and Ichigo, while Rukia is on Ichigo's other side, and the rest of their friends are gathered into a quiet circle.

The silence is killing Inoue, who finally clears her throat getting everyone's attention.

"With everything bad that's happened this week…it may not be the best time to give you all such good news…but with everything moving so fast, it can't be helped!" Inoue says suddenly, which makes Ichigo go white.

He had wanted to tell Rukia in private…before everyone else found out, but there is no way he can stop Inoue right now without looking like he's out of his mind unless…

"Inoue! I don't want to hear any good news right now. It can wait a little bit longer can't it?" Ichigo says, with his anger showing, and Inoue hears it which is why she stops.

"Don't talk to Orihime that way!" Tatsuki growls from Inoue's other side, and Ichigo stands.

"Then let me excuse myself while you all listen to good news." Ichigo says, hoping Rukia will follow, but she doesn't.

"Wait! Kurosaki-kun! You don't have to go! It can wait…" Inoue says, but Tatsuki jumps up to her feet.

"No! Right now…I need a bit of good news!" She argues, and Inoue blinks.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Inoue looks moved and Ichigo feels his heart pounding even as he gives Rukia a desperate look. Unfortunately, at the worst of times, she's also focused on Inoue.

"Me too. I could use some." Rukia's voice already sounds like she's suffering.

Ichigo wishes beyond all else that his license would sound a hollow alarm right this instant, but for once no hollows want to come out right now.

Suddenly Rukia notices the spike in Ichigo's reiatsu and she glances at him. She can tell that he's trying to warn her about something but she doesn't know what it could possibly be.

"Kurosaki-kun…may I?" Inoue asks, but Ichigo turns his back.

"You don't need to ask his permission!" Tatsuki yells, and Inoue laughs nervously.

"Then…I would like to inform you all that Kurosaki-kun and I intend to get married, within the month!" Inoue says, and Ichigo watches as Rukia's jaw drops to the ground.

It's as though Ichigo can read her mind when he looks at her face.

_How is that good news?_

"What!?" Tatsuki sputters in shock, as Inoue smiles, and everyone else is gaping too.

"When was this decided?" Ishida asks, pushing up his glasses, and Inoue laughs nervously.

"This morning." Ichigo says, since he doesn't want them to know it was decided before Sado's funeral…it's bad enough that it's so close after.

"It's really true? This isn't a sick joke?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo doesn't know why it has to hurt so badly.

The hollow alerts go off, and Ichigo is furious.

_A little late, fuckers._

Luckily for Ichigo, Rukia is a workaholic if she's nothing else, and they're both rushing off towards the hollow with all of their friends staring after them.

"Rukia…" Ichigo trails off, but Rukia doesn't say anything right away.

"Ichigo…I think Sado's death really had a major effect on you." Rukia tells him, looking so sad he feels an intense urge to grab and hug her…but he can't.

"I won't argue that." Ichigo says softly, but Rukia turns to glare at him as they get closer to the hollow.

"Even so…you want to marry Inoue?" Rukia asks, and lying to her is a million times harder than lying to Inoue. He can't even look her in the eyes while he does it.

"Yeah…"

"But you never seemed interested in her before." Rukia argues, and Ichigo is glad she noticed, but he can't let her figure out the truth…because he can't stand to see her get blown up.

"Well…I was. She ah…" He can't bring himself to tell Rukia redeeming qualities about Inoue that might attract a normal guy…especially since those reasons don't apply to him.

Rukia feels like something is wrong…but because she knows he wouldn't lie about it, she also feels a pain unlike the pain she feels on the battlefield. She loves him so much that she has to let him go if that's what he wants…but deep in her heart she can't allow herself to believe he doesn't want her around.

_But because I love him, I'll support whatever makes him happy…_

"Would being married to her, make you happy?" Rukia asks as they close in on the hollow, and Ichigo refuses to look her in the eyes.

_No! I'll be more miserable than anyone on earth! I only feel real happiness when I'm with you!_

"Yes. Being with Inoue is my dream." Ichigo lies through his teeth, and he hears Rukia let out a shaky sigh.

_More like a nightmare..._

"Then I am happy for you." Rukia says, even though she's not at all happy.

_That's not what I wanted to hear, Rukia! You're not supposed to be happy, you're supposed to be as miserable as I am!_

"The hollow!" Ichigo says as they get a sighting.

Ichigo takes all of his frustrations out on the hollow with one swing of his zanpakutou. Rukia watches in shock as his attack not only penetrates the hollow, but it destroys several trees that were behind the hollow too.

"Ichigo." Rukia says, and Ichigo looks at her, with a look she's never seen him wear before. He looks…ashamed.

"What is it?"

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you'll be happy." Rukia orders him, and Ichigo hears the voice again.

"If she figures it out, she dies here."

Rukia has no reaction to Ijin's voice, but the threat is all that he needs to hear to be able to accomplish the lie.

"I will be. I will be really happy." He says in a low voice and Rukia doesn't know how the pain managed to get worse, but it did.

_How can you be happy if we're not together?_

Ichigo would rather be shot by a firing squad then to have to see the pain that is so clear on her face as she forces herself to look away, but he still got a clear view of all of her misery in one instant. It's not a look he'll soon forget, it will continue to haunt him for as long as he's forced to live this lie.

_Later…_

"Kurosaki-kun…Can you spend the night tonight?" Inoue asks, and Ichigo nearly falls over.

"What? Why?" He asks, and Inoue looks away from him.

"Well…we're engaged, so it's okay. Plus…I know Kuchiki-san lives at your house and there are things we need to discuss, about our wedding." Inoue says, and Ichigo looks confused.

"None of that made any sense." Ichigo says, and Inoue looks away.

"The truth is…I used to believe you were in love with Kuchiki-san. I am overjoyed that you asked me to marry you, because I've loved you secretly for so long…and I don't want you to spending the night with any girl besides me." Inoue says, and Ichigo feels shock. Inoue never seemed like she was bold enough to say such a thing, but she just did.

"Spend the night with her or Kuchiki Rukia dies."

Ichigo watches Inoue's face, but she shows no sign that she heard Ijin's voice like Ichigo just did.

"Fine then." Ichigo says, and Inoue looks overjoyed.

"And one other thing…" She says, and Ichigo who already hates being engaged to her, feels like he's about to lose his temper.

"What?" He asks in a growl, and she looks hopefully up at him.

"I was hoping you would start to call me Orihime." She says, and Ichigo immediately shakes his head no.

"I am used to calling you Inoue." He says before he walks away from her, and Inoue runs after him.

"Then…may I call you-"

"No!" Ichigo cuts her off before she has a chance to ask it.

"I'm sorry! It's just that…with us getting married, isn't it strange for us to be so formal? Didn't you say you loved me?" Inoue asks, and Ichigo realizes the situation is getting bad.

"I do! But I think of you as Inoue!" He tells her, and she smiles.

"Then it's fine." She says, overjoyed that he thinks of her like that. "I didn't realize that was part of your fantasy." She says, and Ichigo is so repulsed he nearly gags, but he hides any sign of his feelings with effort.

_Maybe it's better that she misunderstood._

"Anyways…I'll be over later. I need to go home and get a few things." Ichigo says, and Inoue nods her head.

"Okay!" She tells him, excitedly.

Ichigo walks off without looking back, even as he tries to imagine how in the hell he'll live this kind of lie. It's already straining his every last nerve.

"I have to be strong…if I let this kill me, everyone who I care about will die." He reminds himself as he tries to make himself feel better about his situation.

He's not successful.

* * *

When Ichigo gets home, he barely looks at Rukia, which makes her feel like maybe he doesn't want her around…until after dinner when he suddenly starts getting an overnight bag together.

"Rukia." Ichigo says, and she pops her head out of the closet.

"Yes Ichigo?" She asks, and he finally looks her in the eyes.

"You can sleep in my bed tonight if you want. I am going on a walk…and I won't be back." He tells her, unable to hurt her by sharing with her that he's spending the night at Inoue's apartment.

"Okay…thank you." Rukia says, and when he hops out of the window, she feels incredibly alone.

She doesn't really think about what she's doing, as she walks over to his dresser, and pulls one of his tee-shirts out. She strips out of her own clothing, bra, and underwear, before she slips into his tee-shirt, feeling a tiny bit closer to him in the process.

She flops on his bed, and smells his pillow.

_It feels good and bad to be here…why is he marrying her, and how am I supposed to continue to act like I'm happy about it? Why did he make these arrangements so soon after Sado's death anyways? Is it because of what he said? That marrying her is his dream? No way! I still find that too unbelievable to accept!_

She wonders if she can somehow stop him from marrying Inoue, but then she remembers how serious he looked when he said he'd be happy.

_Really Ichigo? All you have to do is tell me what's bothering you and I'll help! Did you think I wouldn't?_

Rukia trembles, as she curls up and imagines that instead of being gone, she's waiting for Ichigo to join her.

_What would you feel, if you knew I was in the bed you sleep in, with nothing but your tee-shirt on?_

All of her dreams, which seemed like they were still a ways into the future, are being crushed by one marriage. This won't be like Kaien-dono being married to Miyako-dono, it will be a hundred times worse.

_Come back…come back here, and I'll show you how wrong your mistake is…if you just appear back in this room right now, I'll feel like we have a chance to make everything right!_

No matter how much she wants to stop it, she won't because Ichigo said being with Inoue was his dream.

_Even though I feel like I'm being ripped apart._

She hardly moves, as she lays there, but she waits…and Ichigo doesn't make it back.

* * *

"Kurosaki-kun, I want us to skip school tomorrow, so we can get everything prepared. You said you wanted to get married immediately, so I thought this weekend would be good." Inoue says, and even though Ichigo wants to yell that it's too quickly, he hears the voice yet again.

"You're following hell's orders well to marry her as soon as possible."

Ichigo is used to seeing no reaction from those around him, when he hears Ijin, and so he simply nods.

"Sure." He says, and Inoue smiles happily.

"I was so worried you might change your mind!" She tells him, and Ichigo looks away from her.

"There's no way I'd do that." He says honestly, since he won't stop the charade if it means keeping Rukia alive.

"Thank you for reassuring me. Want to bathe together?" She asks, getting a glare in response.

"We're not married yet…and even when we are I wouldn't want to do something like that." He tells her, and she blinks a couple of times at him.

"I always imagined what it might be like to bathe with Kurosaki-kun though," She tells him in a saddened voice, and once again he has to hold himself back from gagging.

"I won't need one. I took one before I left the house." Ichigo tells her, and she looks disappointed.

"Then I will try not to be too long." She tells him, and he waves his hand in an uncaring manner.

"Take your time. It's fine by me." He says, feeling like he just wants some time alone anyways.

He feels a bit of relief when she disappears in the bathroom, and he lays his head on the table.

_I guess I'm always going to be this miserable…since I'm not with Rukia._

It's an inevitable thing in his mind. Being with Inoue on a constant basis is already a pain in the ass…but to be separated from the girl he wants to be with most makes him wonder how he still lives when his heart is taking this much damage.

He can hear the shower running, so he speaks his mind very softly.

"This is the worst…marrying Inoue. This is my worst nightmare come true."

He sees that she's already gotten out a pillow and sheets for him, and so he sets himself up as far away from her as he can get in the room while she's bathing, prepares to remind her that they can wait until their wedding night…but of course he intends to drink himself into oblivion before he steps foot into the bedroom with her.

* * *

Rukia is floored that Inoue has asked her to be the maid of honor, since Tatsuki had requested to not be _in_ the wedding, but to be a guest instead. She had said she would feel uncomfortable in the dress, so Rukia was being asked next.

_I have to be asked this in front of Ichigo's family!?_

Rukia doesn't know how she got dragged into it. Ichigo is also there while she's being asked, and he looks like he's mad, but he's not saying anything.

"I still don't-"

"Please Kuchiki-san!" Inoue cuts off Rukia's refusal even as Ichigo's family looks on in shock.

"Ichi-ni…you're marrying Orihime-chan?" Karin asks, and Isshin looks horrified.

"When was this decided?!" Isshin asks, but Ichigo doesn't answer any of them, and Inoue grabs Rukia's hand.

"Please do it Kuchiki-san!" Inoue asks, and Karin steps forward.

"Oi! Isn't that a little-" Isshin wraps his hand around Karin's mouth.

"I'm taking the girls out." Isshin says in a low voice, and Rukia blinks.

_Are they unhappy with this?_

"Thank pops." Ichigo says, but as Isshin passes him, he leans over into his son's ear.

"You're an idiot."

_I know it looks that way…but if you knew the truth, you wouldn't think so._

Ichigo realizes that he's not the only one hurting over his plan to marry Inoue, but what can he do? He watched Sado get blown to bits, and he cannot watch it happen to Rukia too…he can't!

"Please Kuchiki-san!" Inoue says again, and Rukia sighs.

"Sure Inoue. I'll do it."

_Even if it kills me completely inside._

* * *

Rukia can hardly believe Ichigo's wedding day with Inoue is already here…not only that, everyone's been whispering about the fact that the two getting married don't call each other by their given names.

There have been plenty of stares in Rukia's direction as well, and she wonders what the speculation about her is.

Ichigo's sisters have both told her privately that they wished she was the one their brother was marrying, and Rukia hadn't been able to tell them that she wished that were the case too. Instead she's just walked around in a daze, nodding halfheartedly to everything the Kurosaki family has had to say to her.

Isshin already assured her that she was his daughter for life, regardless of how idiotic and stupid his son was, but Rukia hadn't felt any better at his generosity. Staying near Ichigo will be like a knife in the heart, as long as she knows he's married to Inoue.

_And now I'm here as the maid of honor…what kind of joke is this?_

"This is my worst nightmare." Rukia says quietly, as she sees Inoue in a simple but pretty wedding dress.

It's being held outside, and the weather couldn't be more beautiful. It's everything Rukia imagined for her own wedding with Ichigo, which makes it hurt even more.

She's in a complete fog until the moment comes for her to precede Inoue down the aisle. She sees Ichigo looking as dashing as he does in bankai with a tuxedo on, and then she looks away.

_It hurts so much! It hurts so much! It hurts so much!_

Rukia never knew she could feel this much pain over Ichigo…she never knew it was possible. She fights the tears that want to fall.

_I will be strong._

* * *

When Ichigo sees Rukia in a simple yellow bridesmaid dress, he's sure she will outshine the bride. He only catches her eye for a second, but in the second he can see her pain so clearly…he noticed it also when Inoue asked her to be the maid of honor.

_Why did she agree? Why does Rukia have to be the one who is getting hurt in all of this? If only I could tell her how important she is to me! But I can't!_

Ichigo feels like his whole life has literally gone to hell…which it seems to have done since he's living according to their whim, all for the sake of the people he loves.

It makes him hate that his love for everyone has made him this weak. He knows that if he asked Rukia her advice, she'd always tell him to fight, but when the enemy is someone you cannot fight, then that no longer becomes a viable option.

When Rukia makes her way to her position, Inoue appears, but Ichigo isn't affected by her…not at all. It's as if he's looking at someone else's bride. She's pretty, but she doesn't make his heart pound in excitement, nor is he dazed by her beauty as most grooms seem to be.

He so badly wants to turn his head to look at Rukia again, but he doesn't dare. He is so close to completing hell's transaction, and if Rukia blows up now, all of the pain he's caused will have been for nothing. It would be better to declare his love to Rukia then to have her simply figure out the truth. At least she would die knowing he wanted to be with her.

"Your thoughts really aren't in the right place right now. You had better pay attention so that you don't give yourself away."

Ijin's voice brings Ichigo back to the present, where they're declaring their intentions to one another, but Ichigo's words are basic. He promises to love, cherish, and be loyal to Inoue, even though the words leave a sour taste in his mouth, but Inoue's speech is about ten minutes long.

It's in one ear and out the other for Ichigo, who can feel the fog in his mind. He hasn't visited his inner world since Sado died…because he knows it's raining there. He also knows how unhappy the rain makes Zangetsu, but it appears Zangetsu has taken pity on him, and is using his reiatsu to dull the emotions in Ichigo's brain.

To live this hellish life in a fog is the nicest thing Zangetsu can do for him. Ichigo feels like he's numb, as the vows are finalized and his lips are so dry they feel foreign as he seals the marriage with a kiss.

"We're married!" Inoue says, and Ichigo barely nods his head.

"Yes." His voice has no emotion in it whatsoever, and his eyes are cloudy as though he's lifeless.

Rukia watches, feeling like her heart is going to let up on her, and she really can't wait to be reincarnated at this point. Ichigo feels distant from her now. He hasn't looked at her with clear eyes since she walked down the aisle, and Rukia wonders if he drank before the ceremony.

"This really is my worst nightmare." Rukia whispers, not heard over the cheering of the guests who attended.

_Why didn't he choose me?_

* * *

"I can't believe this! They had the same dream!? This has never happened before!" Urahara says, and Inoue frowns.

"But you said this was your nightmare machine!" She says, and Urahara frowns.

"It's still a dream." He says, and Inoue starts to cry.

"So you're saying that it's Kurosaki-kun's worst nightmare to be forced to marry me…and it's Kuchiki-san's worst nightmare too!?" Inoue says, sounding completely wounded, and Urahara gives her a sympathetic look.

"It's an invention I started while I was still in Soul Society. This was one of the last tests I had to run. You see…sometimes we need information. This is a nonviolent torture strategy. I needed to test a pair of nakama at the same time, even though it seems we've learned they think of each other as more than that, from this experiment." Urahara says, and Inoue can't stop crying.

"But it hurts! To know that marrying me is not only Kuchiki-san's worst nightmare, but Kurosaki-kun's too!" Inoue says, and Urahara raises his finger.

"That's not all though, Kurosaki-san's best friend was destroyed, and everyone around him that he cares about most was living in pain!" Urahara says, and Inoue cries harder.

"But I seemed so happy!" She argues, and Urahara nods.

"Certainly it seems that your happiness isn't as important to Kurosaki-san as you being alive is. But his thoughts were recorded, and he thinks of you as a good friend, so you shouldn't feel badly." Urahara says, but Inoue keeps bawling.

"But I love him!" She finally spits it out, and Urahara sighs.

"It's useless, don't you see? True love, the greatest kind, is returned." Urahara says it very simply, and Inoue turns to walk out, leaving the snacks she brought for Rukia there.

"I'll let myself out!" She says, sounding awfully panicked, and Urahara feels badly.

"I'm sorry!" He yells up and then he sighs. "This was why I tried telling her that she shouldn't stick around…but of course I thought it might be better for her to see. Maybe I was wrong."

Urahara looks at the spirit monitors, and realizes they need to be woken up before they're affected in real life.

He turns off the machines, and pulls out a bullhorn with a big smile, before he sounds it, causing both Ichigo and Rukia to sit straight up in a panic, before they look around and remember what happened before…

_Flashback_

"I'll pay you both very well to be my guinea pigs with a special invention, and I guarantee you will walk away from the ordeal with not one scratch!" Urahara's offer sounds too good to be true.

"What's the catch?" Rukia asks him suspiciously, and Urahara shakes his head.

"It could have some…emotional side effects." Urahara says, but Ichigo steps forward.

"Rukia has drained my wallet completely, so I'll do it." He says, and Urahara looks delighted.

"I need you too, Kuchiki-san." Urahara says, and Rukia crosses her arms.

"If Ichigo will do it then so will I…but it better pay as well as you say it will." Rukia says with flashing eyes.

_End Flashback_

Rukia can still feel her heart pounding from the horrible dream, but Ichigo is already in motion, ripping the little suction tubes off of his head and chest so that he can get to her.

He jumps off the bed, and grabs Rukia into his arms, causing several pieces of equipment to crash to the floor.

"Hey!" Urahara yells, but Ichigo is holding Rukia so tightly that he can't interfere.

"I love you Rukia…only you. I want to tell you that now so you know…I love you and want to be with you. Always." He tells her, and Rukia gasps.

"Ichigo…" Rukia feels like all of the darkness has washed away as he trembles while holding her.

"I never want to marry anyone but you." He tells her, and Rukia starts to cry.

"I'm so glad…" She tells him, and Urahara smiles.

"It seems my invention is an official success." He hands Rukia a large wad of money, but when he tries to hand Ichigo his share, Ichigo stands up, pushing him aside.

"That thing has to be destroyed." Ichigo says, grabbing Zangetsu off the wall from behind the bed where he'd been laying, and Urahara's eyes widen.

"Kurosaki-san! Don't!" Urahara flies in front of the machine with his zanpakutou, to guard against Ichigo.

"Don't try to stop me, that thing should never be used on anyone." Ichigo says, and Rukia nods.

"I agree with Ichigo…that was hard on my soul." Rukia admits, and Urahara holds his ground even as he chants off a high level binding spell.

He manages to get Ichigo back into his body, and then he sticks the money in Ichigo's back pocket.

"Please take him home. He shouldn't wake up until morning. I'm sorry…" Urahara says, and Rukia just nods.

"I understand why…I certainly wouldn't mind it if Aizen had been forced to endure such torture…but it is dangerous." She tells him, and he bows his head to her.

"I understand."

* * *

When Rukia gets Ichigo into his bed, she climbs in next to him to hold him tight.

Without the experiment, she might not have heard him say how he feels about her today…but the nightmare felt so real that it was physically and mentally draining. Rukia smiles as she imagines the next time they'll see Sado. She imagines Ichigo will want to hang out with him even more now.

The bonds they share with each other, and with their friends is always evolving, it always has. From the moment she came through the wall of his bedroom until this very point now.

_I'm glad you never want to lose me…I never want to lose you either. I never want to experience my worst nightmare for real._

**A/N- I hope that wasn't too confusing. The start of the story, was the start of the dream which was what the first requester wanted. **

**Also if you didn't figure it out while reading, the part with Rukia in Ichigo's tee-shirt was the second request!**

**I also posted a New Year chapter in my BlacknwhiteIchiRukiSpecial, if you haven't checked it out! **


	9. As Requested: Mysterious Gift

**A/N- This is done by request, and IchiRuki are already together for this one shot. For the sake of the story it's a year into their relationship. It's dedicated to the person that requested it, please enjoy!**

_Mysterious Gift_

When Rukia makes her way into Ichigo's bedroom after a shower, she's surprised to see a wrapped gift that has been left on the bed. She walks over to it, and when she sees it's for her, she instantly gets excited.

"I don't know why I'm getting a gift, but I won't complain." Rukia says out loud until she opens it.

_Maybe I will complain…_

She isn't sure what to think about it, since it's a Kama Sutra book. All she can do is stare at the cover, and wonder if Ichigo is unsatisfied with their sex life.

She sits down, hardly moving at all until her boyfriend walks in the room, and the instant he does, she whips the book at his head.

"What is this all about? This is your idea of a gift?!" Rukia snaps, and Ichigo rubs his sore head glaring at her, until he looks down at the book, which has now landed on the floor.

The moment he sees it, he turns bright red, and he looks away. He definitely wasn't expecting to see that sort of book.

"Why are you asking me?!" Ichigo says, since he's not the one who gave her the damned thing.

"You mean…it wasn't you?" Rukia asks in a quiet voice, and Ichigo leans down to pick up the book.

"I wouldn't have been able to get over the embarrassment of buying it…" He says, and Rukia laughs.

"How can you act like you're shy? I've seen what you're like when you're feeling frisky." She tells him, and he turns even redder as he walks over and sets the book on the nightstand.

"That's alone…with you. I'm not like that around anyone else…and I sure wouldn't ever buy a book like this." Ichigo says, and Rukia looks at him with horror.

"Then who?" She asks, and Ichigo suddenly looks towards the door furiously.

"I'll kill him!" Ichigo says as he runs for the door and stampedes out.

Rukia smacks her forehead with her hand.

"Idiot! What if it wasn't him! Do you really want him to know we have this book?" Rukia mutters under her breath even as she hears Ichigo question his father in what can only be described as a yell.

"What were you thinking, giving Rukia that sort of book!?" She can hear Ichigo clear as day.

Rukia lets out a long and aggravated sigh. It wasn't her intention to announce she was the owner of such a sketchy book, but with Ichigo's big mouth there's no keeping it under wraps now.

"Book?" Rukia hears Isshin question in confusion, and then she hears a loud thud.

"Don't play innocent with me! You're the only person I know who would pull that sort of shit!" Ichigo's voice has somehow gotten louder, even as Rukia's worst fears seem to be coming true since Ichigo's father doesn't seem to know about it.

"I don't-" Isshin is trying to get a word in edgewise, but Ichigo drowns him out.

"Rukia and I don't need help with our sex lives! Especially not from you!" He yells, and Isshin finally yells back.

"You'd better not need any help! Kurosaki men are supposed to be naturally talented at making love to a woman! It's supposed to come naturally! If you needed my help with that, then I would have doubts about your lineage!" Isshin's words suddenly make Ichigo doubt that his father was the one who gave Rukia the book, so he lets him go.

"If I find out it was you, I'll hit you so hard." Ichigo grumbles before he stomps back to his room, where Rukia is standing there with her hands on her hips.

"Being an idiot seems to come naturally to you, Ichigo. Didn't it occur to you that any number of Shinigami could have left the book?" Rukia asks him, and Ichigo looks even more aggravated.

"Shinigami sure don't seem to have any issues with breaking and entering…perhaps I need to put a sign in the window that says all Shinigami need to knock and gain permission before entering." Ichigo says, and Rukia laughs.

"The Shinigami with the guts to leave this here wouldn't be stopped by a mere sign." She tells him, and he looks even more aggravated.

"Rukia! This is my personal space! I don't want Shinigami coming and going as they please here!" He really doesn't like that idea at all.

"I don't especially think it will be a consistent problem." Rukia tells him, and he glares at her.

"What if someone were to come in here unannounced while we're…you know." Ichigo says with a red face, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"I'll use my kidou to make them very sorry." She says, and Ichigo turns his head.

"That's not what I was getting at…I don't want you to have to do that. I want our privacy respected altogether. That is what is the most desirable solution would be." He says, in a near whine.

"If it's really that much of a bother, I can start putting a barrier around your room…it will be good to push myself and try to hold such a strong barrier day in and out, and there may be times where I can't do it…but at least it's a start, right?" Rukia says, and Ichigo immediately nods his head at that suggestion.

"I think it would at least get the point across that I don't want Shinigami coming and going through here like it's their own personal home base in the living world." Ichigo grumbles, and Rukia smothers a laugh.

_I don't think whoever left the book was thinking like that._

Ichigo watches as Rukia's eyes slide over to the book that she had been so offended by earlier, but she doesn't look like she's disturbed by it anymore.

"It really would be a waste not to look at it…now that I've calmed down, and know it wasn't you who gave it to me, I'm sort of curious." Rukia tells him, and Ichigo gulps nervously.

"About what?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia points at the book.

"About what's inside." She says simply, and he turns bright red.

"Seriously?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia pats the bed next to her.

"Why don't we look at it together?" She asks, and he feels really turned on that she'd ask that.

"You really want to look at it?" He asks, even as he sits, and Rukia smiles.

"We may come up with an idea we hadn't thought of before. It could be fun." She says, and he immediately nods his head at her.

"It couldn't hurt to look." He says, and he hands her the book.

Within an hour they've decided to try a new position. They just need to find the perfect spot in the house to be able to do it in, since it involves Rukia doing all the work.

Ichigo finally realizes he's going to have to raid his savings in order to make their dream come true, so they go together to a workout equipment store to buy an adjustable pull up bar.

"I think this is going to be a lot of fun." Rukia tells him, and he blushes quite a bit as he's paying since Rukia is sneaking her hand over to pinch his butt in public.

_Why does she always have to torture me like this!?_

"Stop that!" He hisses at her, getting a laugh in response.

_In some ways, she's a lot like a normal human girl…until you piss her off. She's much scarier than human girls then._

He wants to tell her that sex with her every time is fun, but he doesn't want to say that in front of the cashier, so he keeps his lips buttoned until they're walking their purchase back home.

"I can't wait to try this." Ichigo admits, and Rukia smiles.

"Oh, look who is feeling talkative now." She teases him, and he looks away from her.

"Shut up…and quit pinching my butt in public, it's embarrassing!" He tells her, and she smiles evilly at him.

"Can you tell me what exactly is embarrassing about it?" She asks, before she pinches it again, and steam is practically coming out of his ears.

"I don't know exactly, maybe it's the way I always jump from surprise, but I don't like other people to see you doing that." He tells her, and she grins up at him.

"I don't think I can control my hand…it has a mind of its own." She tells him, so he tucks the pull up bar under one arm and grabs her hand for the rest of the walk home.

"There…" Ichigo tells her, and Rukia nods.

"You're right, I can't pinch your butt with my hand like this unless I really work at trying to get it with the other hand." She tells him, and he glares at her.

"Don't. save that for private!" He's practically begging and she's very amused.

_Life has changed for the better since Ichigo and I took our relationship to the next level. _

The heaviness she used to feel in her heart has lifted completely, and she's even progressed further as a Shinigami since he's entered her life too. She's sure part of that is due to how much he inspired her with his own growth, but still, she's felt happier with Ichigo than she ever remembers feeling in the past..

She's also discovered that it's fun to make him blush. She does it all the time, because she thinks it's adorable, especially considering how he gives it to her when they're getting it on.

She really feels like a whole new person, with a brighter outlook on life, and now she clearly sees how her own loneliness affected her past attitude. She knows now that her depressed state made her feel badly about herself, but being with Ichigo has lifted all of the burden from her heart.

She doesn't have to ask if she's affected Ichigo the same way, she knows. Before he met her, he was a troubled teen who kept most people at a careful distance. She was the first person he got really close to, after his mother's death. She remembers how he used to be, and she sees how he is now.

_We've both done a lot for each other…more than we ever thought we could do for each other. I'm finally happy._

She tightens her grip on Ichigo's hand, and he squeezes her hand back as they catch each other's eyes in an unspoken agreement of love. The walk home doesn't take long though, and before Rukia knows it, they're back in his room, with him installing the pull up bar.

Once it's completed, he tests it by hanging on with his own weight. When it holds with no problems, he grins at his girlfriend mischievously.

"I can't wait for tonight." He tells her, and Rukia winks at him.

"Who says we have to wait?" She asks, and he shakes his head at her.

"We definitely have to wait until my family is asleep!" He says anxiously and Rukia laughs.

"I got it, don't get your panties in a bunch." She tells him.

They end up wandering into the kitchen to feast on some leftovers, and to anticipate the moment they'll get to try their new position.

_Later…_

"The entire house is quiet." Rukia whispers into Ichigo's ear and he nods.

"But it's only been that way for twenty minutes. We should wait at least another half hour so everyone is asleep." Ichigo says, and Rukia nods her agreement..

"I can think of a good way to spend that time." Rukia whispers, before she begins to massage his earlobe with her tongue, making him shiver.

"I've been thinking about doing this all day." Ichigo murmurs, and he shivers again when her hand slides over the crotch of his boxers.

"Me too." Rukia agrees, as she nuzzles her nose against his, and coaxes a kiss out of him with no problem at all.

She can't help but to feel grateful that he decided to go to bed wearing only his boxers, and she pushes her body even closer to his, to soak in the warmth of him as they kiss more deeply. She lets her fingers wander up his muscular chest, and she feels goose bumps rise on his flesh as she lightly touches his skin.

"You're wearing way too much clothing." Ichigo complains in between kisses, and Rukia chuckles against his lips.

"Too much clothing for what? You wanted to wait." She reminds him, and she can see his smirk in the moonlight.

"There are other things I want to do to you…" Ichigo says as he begins to relieve her of her pajama top and bottoms.

He is very happy to see she let the twins loose with no bra for the night, he prefers her to sleep braless, so he can cop a feel whenever he wakes up in the middle of the night, and he slides her neon green underwear down to her knees, and uses his toes to slide them the rest of the way down her calves. He rolls her on top of him so that she's laying on him and straddling him, before she sits up to get a good look at him under her.

Rukia watches with interest as her boyfriend seems to be on a mission. He starts to tug forcefully on her legs, pulling her entire body up the length of his own, and she has a good idea of what he's after before he has her positioned so that she's straddling his head. He reaches up to tease her nipples with his fingers, before he lifts his head a bit and begins to tease her clit with his tongue.

Her entire body reacts to the first touch of his tongue against her weakest place, but she doesn't fight the wondrous feelings that rush throughout her body practically immediately, instead she basks in them. He reacts by applying a tiny bit more pressure with his tongue as he slides it back and forth, then around in a circle.

He pulls down on her thighs to get her to settle a bit lower, and then he begins to move his tongue with more pressure and speed. He can hear her gasping above him, trying her best to keep as quiet as possible, so he works at it harder…he wants her to get loud even as she's trying to keep quiet, just to prove to himself that he still pleases her as much as he tried to when they first became intimate.

He never forgot the way she asked him to always give her the kind of attention he did in the beginning. They almost never have quickies, so he can appreciate her the way she deserves to be appreciated. He never imagined before he met Rukia that a girl would be able to steal his heart so thoroughly, but that's just what she's managed to do.

He repays her by making sure she enjoys every intimate experience they share together. It's his goal to see that happy satisfied expression she wears after he's worked his hardest to please her.

It doesn't take as long as he expected for it to take for her to let out a loud moan against her will, and he chuckles into her muff.

"Ichigo…I can't take that much longer…" Rukia breathes, before she finally jerks herself away from his mouth, but she shoots him a devilish grin.

Before he even realizes what her intention was, she's tugging on his arousal, and she pulls it out of the slit in his boxers. She rubs it for a moment before she returns the sensations he gave her by attacking his erection with her mouth and tongue.

He turns his head to groan into the pillow from the pleasure that shoots up and down his back at her meticulous movements, and he realizes that she's established some sort of pattern for pleasing him orally when his entire body starts to shake from what she's doing.

"Rukia!" Ichigo's voice sounds a bit urgent, so Rukia pulls away so that he doesn't let loose before the fun actually begins.

"I haven't heard a sound coming from anywhere in your house. I think it's okay. Come on." Rukia says, and she bounces off of him and over to the pull up bar.

Ichigo is right behind her, yanking his boxers completely off so that nothing can get in the way of the pleasure he can't wait to experience with this new style of making love.

Rukia pulls herself up with ease, and Ichigo stands in front of her while she wraps her legs around his back. She lowers herself until she's right in position, and Ichigo helps her by guiding himself in, as she slowly lowers herself onto him.

He grabs her by the waist once he's halfway in, and he jerks her completely down and over his arousal. They both moan at that, and Rukia readjusts her legs before she pulls herself up on the bar and then lowers herself again.

Ichigo moves his head forward and teases her nipples with his tongue when she pulls herself up, but Rukia quickly begins to increase her speed.

"This is a good workout." Rukia breathes as she lowers herself again, and Ichigo nearly growls.

"If you feel like letting go, you can lean back against the wall and I'll do the rest." Ichigo tells her, and Rukia smirks at him.

"I've got plenty of strength for the time being." She assures him, before she concentrates on her movements, to make them smooth and quick at the same time.

She gets into a steady pace, causing Ichigo to grit his teeth as he begins to feel like he could lose control at any moment, from the feeling of her sliding over him again and again.

"Rukia…let me." Ichigo says in a pained voice before he takes a firm hold of her hips and he begins to move her body in a much more quick fashion than what she'd been doing.

It quickly begins to feel like she's having rough sex, but she's enjoying every moment of it since her insides feel like they're on fire. She loves each powerful thrust, and she doesn't mind that he's pretty much taken over the end, because she can tell he can't last much longer.

"You feel too damned good." Ichigo groans, before he gasps more fervently, making Rukia murmur in response.

"Harder Ichigo!" Her demand isn't ignored by her boyfriend who immediately works to satisfy her before he climaxes, and their bodies smack together making more noise than they had anticipated making.

With a final groan, he releases himself within her, and he pulls her snugly over him, and gets as far into her as he can get during his climax.

Rukia lets go of the pull up bar to hang on to his neck, and Ichigo carefully tries to make his way back to the bed, without getting their love juice all over his floor. He's not entirely successful with that feat, so when he gets Rukia back into his bed, he's forced to wipe his floor up where they dripped.

"That was fun…" Ichigo says with a smile as he remembers the interesting feeling of doing it standing up, with her putting forth all the effort.

"I still wonder who got us the book…" Rukia mutters, and Ichigo too finds he's curious about who is responsible for him getting to experience a new way of making love.

"I wonder if we'll ever find out." Ichigo says, before he and Rukia sneak off to the bathroom to rinse off their sweaty bodies.

_Eleventh Division Barracks…_

"Oi! Yumichika! Have you seen my Kama Sutra book? I have a date with Rangiku-san tonight!" Ikkaku is getting more and more frantic that he can't find his book, until Yachiru suddenly pops into his room and on his bed.

"What are you doing?" She asks with a big innocent smile, and Ikkaku nearly falls back to his ass.

"Lieutenant Kusajishi! I uh…nothing." Ikkaku can't tell the tiny lieutenant that he lost his brand new sex book.

"If you're looking for your dirty book, I confiscated it." Yachiru tells him with a grin, and Ikkaku looks like he might faint.

"Lieutenant Kusajishi! That was my personal property!" Ikkaku is ready to choke her, but Yachiru bounces out of his reach and to the doorway.

"Don't worry, I found that book the perfect home. Icchy is sure to love it, and maybe fight Ken-chan the next time he asks since he'll be in a good mood!" Yachiru says, before tearing off down the hallway and out of sight.

Ikkaku sighs, but then he smirks.

"Ichigo huh? That guy probably could use that book more than me. Alright! Tonight I'll use my imagination, and maybe come up with something new to make my own book!" Ikkaku says, and Yumichika scoffs.

"The chances of you actually creating something new is slim to none." Yumichika says with a sigh, before he leans back and moans. "But sex is certainly beautiful."

"I think it's best we never tell Ichigo that the lieutenant is responsible for the book." Ikkaku says, and Yumichika nods.

"I agree. The lieutenant can tell him herself." Yumichika says with a sigh before he lays on his own bed.

"Don't wait up for me!" Ikkaku says with a big satisfied smile, and Yumichika waves his hand.

"Like I would. I have to get my beauty sleep you know." Yumichika closes his eyes and Ikkaku leaves to get his groove on.

_I hope I'm there if the lieutenant ever decides to tell them the book came from her…that will be a beautiful moment._


	10. As Requested: FTBFight

**A/N- I had a request to write the fight scene between Rukia and Ichigo in the Fade To Black movie, so this chapter is the fight between Rukia and Ichigo, as if it were me who had been part of the writing team for the movie. It's dedicated to the person that requested it, please enjoy!**

_FTB~Fight_

Ichigo watches in horror as the face he knows so well is contorted in pain, and Rukia is screaming at the change that's occurring whether or not she likes it. Even her what she's clothed in is changing.

"Rukia!" Ichigo's voice seems to reflect his emotions perfectly, and he feels frantic about her condition.

Suddenly Rukia quiets down, and she's holding a large scythe. Instead of sparkling magnificently like Rukia always does, her appearance looks cloudy…like it isn't actually Rukia at all, even though he knows she's in there somewhere. Her white robes suit the evil personality that's taken over her body quite well.

_I have to save her! How!?_

"My plan was supposed to be perfect. Everyone was supposed to forget her. Why didn't you forget her too? Your presence was the one hindrance I never counted on." Rukia's voice sounds devoid of happiness but the aggravation of the being responsible for all of their troubles sounds very furious.

"Nothing could make me forget Rukia, she has had too big of an effect on my life for me to forget her!" Ichigo states, feeling a sense of dread that something this terrible has happened to her.

"Nothing is going to work out as planned until I kill you. It would have been much easier if I could have destroyed your memory of her like I did with everyone else." Rukia's voice has a haunting quality to it, but the words hit Ichigo's heart hard.

"You can't destroy the bonds we share!" He can feel the anger clawing at his chest that Rukia has been invaded this way…but he has to keep control on it, and somehow destroy the entity that has come after Rukia, without hurting her.

She attacks before he can completely get his mind straight, but he manages to dodge and deflect her weapon with his own.

"I can destroy your bond if I kill you though." The being that has taken over Rukia is using her voice, which makes the words really hurt deep in his heart.

"Even death wouldn't destroy our bonds." Ichigo argues, even as he's completely focused on Rukia's body, and what attack it might attempt to deliver to him next.

That's when he suddenly notices just how much skin the new outfit is showing on Rukia's body. He quickly tears his eyes away from that sight, so that he isn't killed while admiring the smoothness of the skin on her legs, which doesn't look like it's been affected by the being that's taken over her body.

_Rukia!_

"Sure it would. This isn't like dying as a human. There will be no way for you to see her again if she dies, since she is a Shinigami. Death would be the end of the story for you and her." The being sounds so smug, and Ichigo's hands shake on his zanpakutou.

"I won't let that happen!" Ichigo shouts, his eyes wide with pain.

"And yet there is nothing you can do to stop it! What can you do not that I've infiltrated her body? For her, this is the perfect ending! So many dark thoughts and opinions of herself exist in here, did you know?" The being sounds so amused that Ichigo just shakes his head.

"I will definitely save Rukia." Ichigo says, not allowing the words coming out of Rukia's mouth to affect his heart.

_I know Rukia has been through a lot in her life…for her to have understood me so well, and to have believed so strongly in me, even after I told her I'd killed my mother, was proof of that. No ordinary woman could have accepted my words and still believed in me like she did, without having experienced some horrendous pain in her own life. I was always aware…I always knew…that there was somebody I resembled to Rukia._

"And I will prove that you will definitely not save her!" Rukia's voice is really messing with his emotions.

It tears him apart to have to listen to her voice taunting him while he's in the middle of the most important battle he's fought since he was fighting to save her the last time. She charges forward again, with a hell of a lot of power behind her attack as she pushes him back, then she flies upward into the air, spinning downward coming dangerously close to lopping off his head.

_Damn she's strong!_

"Rukia!" Ichigo calls out her name, but there is no response from her, beyond the determination of wanting to kill him reflecting in her foggy eyes.

The attacks continue, with her strength continuing to shock him, and her attacks becoming more ferocious with each attempt. There are a few times where he only barely manages to get out of the way of her scythe, and if he loses here, he'll lose all hope of saving her…which makes it so scary that he's not sure what he's supposed to do to really save her.

_The idea of Rukia dying is unacceptable! Zangetsu! How do I save Rukia?!_

Ichigo knows he can count on help from his zanpakutou, and that they both always become much stronger for Rukia's sake.

"Ichigo…remember the way she saved you, and you can save her the same way." Zangetsu's words only create confusion in Ichigo's mind.

_But she's saved me in so many ways!_

Rukia is on the attack again and she knocks him backwards, but all he does is block her blade from touching him, and he hears her scoff at his actions towards her.

"It seems like you don't really take this fight seriously…" Rukia's body turns away from him, as though she's preparing to leave, but Ichigo chases after her, causing her to look back and raise an eyebrow at him.

"We're not done here yet!" Ichigo informs her, as he uses his shunpo to arrive directly behind her, and she scowls in reaction.

She swings her blade at him again, and once again he only barely manages to get out of the way before she slices into his face. Because she misses, her blade goes into the ground, and debris goes flying everywhere, forcing Ichigo to jump back in case she brings it back up again while he can't see.

"Oh so you do want to stop me?" The voice seems mildly surprised.

"I won't allow you to continue hurting Rukia like this." Ichigo says, in a raw voice that shows his pain, and suddenly Rukia's lips curve into an evil smile.

"It looks like you're going to have an impossible time with that, if you wish not to harm Rukia. She and I are one in the same, so unless you kill her along with me, I'm not going to die!"

"No I will kill only you!" Ichigo roars, since Zangetsu already told him he could do it, he'll believe Zangetsu over the enemy that has stolen Rukia's body.

_All I have to do, is save Rukia in the same way that she saved me…wait…does that mean?_

Ichigo's lips press into a straight line as he avoids another attack, and jumps back out of the debris that follows the missed attack.

_I can't stab Rukia in the heart with my zanpakutou!_

Ichigo's entire being fills with dread at the very idea that he must do such a thing to save Rukia and kill the being who has taken over her body.

"Killing only me is impossible! But you'll see!" Rukia's body rushes forward again, and Ichigo's hand shakes as he dodges away from her again, delaying the inevitable for a moment while he gathers the courage to do what must be done in order to save her.

Rukia jumps high into the air, spinning down once again, but this time Ichigo doesn't dodge the attack. He holds his hand up, blocking her blade with his bare hand, and with his sword arm, he thrusts Zangetsu directly into Rukia's heart.

"I'm going to give you all of the power you once gave me." Ichigo's voice is hoarse and he hears the scream of pain from the being that inhabited her body, and he watches as all traces of the evil being seem to die.

He pulls Zangetsu out of her but her legs lose the ability to hold her body up and her eyes close. As she pitches forward, Ichigo drops to his knees to catch her and he holds her with one arm while resting his face up against the top of her head, feeling her silky hair against his lips.

Rukia recovers very quickly, since Zangetsu didn't leave her body with an remaining injury, as that had been Ichigo's will.

_Ichigo faced what I had to face in the past and I am still alive…why couldn't I have had the power to save Kaien-dono in that same way? I lack the power to do what Ichigo just did._

She pulls away from him, feeling a bit of self-loathing at her own failures in life, compared to Ichigo's victories. It's not that she holds anything against him, because he did save her.

"This is the second time you've saved me…" Rukia says quietly, even though she can't look at him right now.

"You saved me first." Ichigo reminds her, but she seems really distant at the moment and she pulls out of her robe, a letter from the girl who she'd spent the majority of her recent time with.

"Thank you." Rukia says simply, suddenly glad that he didn't have to experience the kind of pain she had to experience as a result of killing Kaien-dono.

"No problem, Shinigami." Ichigo says quietly, and finally Rukia smiles softly before she turns her head back to glance at him.

"It's not Shinigami, it's Kuchiki Rukia."

Ichigo smiles back, feeling a sense of relief that he hadn't been totally sure he'd be able to experience just a few minutes earlier.

_I have my Rukia back._

**A/N-Obviously I have not seen the movie, and so there will likely be some major differences between Fade To Black and what I've envisioned for the final fight. I hope you enjoyed it!**


	11. As Requested: Pregnant Virgin

_**A/N- I had a request to do this story, and it's dedicated to the person that requested it! Please Enjoy!**_

_Pregnant Virgin_

Rukia feels ill again…she can't understand why she can't get rid of this lousy feeling recently, nor can she understand why Isshin looks so happy at her misery.

Every morning for the past two weeks, Rukia has had to run from the breakfast table, and instead of looking overly concerned like any normal person would, Isshin seems happy as hell at Rukia's condition.

This morning though, Isshin is commenting on it as she leaves the bathroom…

"Ichigo you dog! You got her pregnant!" Isshin is too loud for her _not_ to hear him.

"I did not!" Ichigo is just as loud, and Rukia runs into the kitchen where they're arguing…

"I am not pregnant! How can that be when I'm a virgin!?" Rukia yells at them both, and Isshin looks truly surprised.

"But Rukia-chan…aren't you experiencing morning sickness?" Isshin counters, and all of the blood drains from Rukia's face.

"I have been feeling sick a lot lately…" Rukia admits, and Isshin punches Ichigo.

"She doesn't even remember it!? How can you be my son!?" Isshin wails, and Ichigo punches him back.

"That's something I've wondered about my whole life old man!"

"If I am pregnant…might it be immaculate conception?" Rukia asks in an awed voice, and both of the Kurosaki men stop fighting to gape at her.

"I highly doubt it…" Ichigo says, as he shakes his head in disbelief, and Isshin sputters in amusement at her conclusion.

"It's more likely that you were knocked unconscious and impregnated than immaculate conception…" Isshin says, earning himself another punch from Ichigo.

"Don't talk like that about Rukia!" Ichigo says, and Isshin gives him a strange look.

"Okay…" Isshin leaves the room, wondering why Ichigo's feelings aren't hurt if he's not the father, but that's where he's wrong.

The instant Ichigo and Rukia are alone, he turns on her.

"Who got you pregnant? Don't lie to me either!" Ichigo snaps angrily, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"What are you talking about!? I have never been with anyone!" Rukia insists, and Ichigo tugs at his own hair.

"That's impossible Rukia! Did somebody rape you? If so you tell me who and I'll kill them!" Ichigo growls at her sounding very dangerous, and Rukia hits him over the head _very_ hard.

"Don't act like I'm a liar! If I'm truly pregnant, which we have no actual proof of as of yet, then I honestly don't know how it happened!" Rukia tells him, and Ichigo's mouth drops open.

"Shouldn't that bother you!?" He demands, and Rukia frowns.

"I won't let myself get all worked up without proof that I'm pregnant. It's absurd!" She insists, and Ichigo admits it makes sense.

"I wonder if human pregnancy tests will work on a Shinigami…" Ichigo says out loud, and Isshin walks back in the room with a box.

"Rukia-chan, why don't you pee on these sticks and we'll find out for sure whether or not you're actually pregnant." Isshin says with a deadly serious voice, and Rukia gulps before she accepts the box.

_What if I actually am pregnant? What will I tell ni-sama!?_

"Were you listening to us!?" Ichigo roars, and Isshin shakes his head.

"No I wasn't standing around the corner and eavesdropping." Isshin says, and Ichigo gets an even angrier look.

"Yes you were!"

Rukia slips away as the men get into a wrestling match, and hurries to the bathroom in the hopes that they'll keep each other occupied while she tries to figure out this test that humans take to find out whether or not they're pregnant.

"Thank goodness I'm not illiterate…" Rukia mutters as she very carefully reads the instructions on the box.

She's very relieved to find that it's so simple even a complete idiot can figure it out. All she has to do is pee on the stick and wait. She lifts her dress up and pulls down her lacy white panties.

"This is going to be the longest minute in my life I think…" Rukia mutters as she positions herself over the stick.

She nails it spot on, and then covers the part she peed on with the plastic protector. Then she waits. The whole time she's waiting, she's thinking. She didn't know a person could have so many thoughts in the space of a minute, but she quickly learns just how possible it is.

_What if I actually am pregnant? How will I explain it to ni-sama…how will I get Ichigo to calm down?! Why do I feel like if I am, it's important I raise it…with Ichigo!? Will he accept it if I ask him to be the father of my child? _

_How could I get pregnant anyways?! Ichigo was right, something like this should be completely impossible unless…did Ichigo have a wet dream that squirted right up inside me as I slept? What if I'm pregnant by him that way!? I do sleep very near to him and sometimes Kon opens the closet door without shutting it as I sleep in there…what will Ichigo say if I tell him that theory!?_

_He wouldn't believe that for one second…so I can't possibly be pregnant…but…what if I am!?_

_I don't understand any of this, or why I'm starting to get worked up! It's not like I can actually be pregnant anyways, I am a virgin! I'd know if I'd had sex with someone, from what I've read it's a very intimate experience! I'd remember my naked body against someone else's, wouldn't I?!_

_Oh my god, it's time!_

Rukia's throat feels raw as she picks up the stick, and when she reads the results, she nearly faints from shock.

"I'm pregnant." It sounds like there's a frog in her throat, and she simply can't believe it.

Of course Ichigo picks that exact moment to start banging on the door like a hoodlum.

"Rukia! Rukia what were the results?! You've had plenty of time, I want to know, are you pregnant or not!?" Ichigo roars through the door, which makes Rukia consider busting out into Shinigami form and freezing him into silence with her ice, but instead she ignores him in favor of leaning over the sink.

_I just don't believe it! Wait a minute! There's a second test! I have to take it again!_

"I'm retaking it Ichigo." Rukia says mutinously through the door, and she hears a loud crashing noise as though Ichigo fell backwards against the wall.

"Why are you taking it again?! What did the first test say!?" Ichigo practically screeches, but Rukia is getting aggravated.

"I'll tell you _after_ I take the second test idiot, now shut your trap!" Rukia yells angrily, and it seems Ichigo has accepted her answer, knowing damn well he won't change her mind.

Rukia repeats the steps, with everything working the exact same way it did the first time, which really just confounds her, not that Ichigo gives her very long to contemplate in peace and quiet.

"Rukia!" Ichigo's voice penetrates the door once again, and in response, Rukia opens it.

Ichigo watches as she takes one step out of the bathroom, and begins to crash to the floor. He reacts before she can hit her head, rushing forward to catch her. He's already sure he knows the answer, but with Rukia nestled into his arms now, he stands and steps inside to view the tests laying on the counter next to the sink.

_They're both positive!_

Ichigo feels a bit lightheaded himself, but he snatches up the tests, and walks Rukia to his room, where he lays her on the bed, and sits next to her.

"How in the hell could something like this happen? Will I lose her now?" Ichigo asks quietly, but Rukia came to as he was asking his question, and she puts a hand on his arm.

"Ichigo…I don't know how it happened, but…I want to know…will you be the father of my future child?" Rukia asks him, and Ichigo's eyes snap open.

"Won't the real father have a problem with that?" He asks bitterly, and Rukia bites her lip.

"I already told you! I don't know how I got pregnant!" Rukia says in a very anxious voice, and Ichigo lets out a deep breath of air he didn't know he'd been holding.

"Don't you know how impossible it is to believe that?" Ichigo says after a long moment of silence, and Rukia's hand falls from his arm.

"You don't believe me…" Rukia's voice is what catches him off guard more than her words.

She sounds so damned depressed at his reaction, that he raises his eyes to meet hers, and is shocked to see the pain showing clearly in her eyes. No matter how impossible she may be to believe, he finds himself very much believing her.

"No…I do. You want me to be the father?" Ichigo says, and Rukia coughs in embarrassment.

"Will you do it, Ichigo?" She asks him hopefully, and he looks at her with a hard stare.

"We have to get married…and if anyone comes around claiming to be the father, I'll make him disappear…those are my conditions." Ichigo tells her, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"You want to marry me?!" Rukia asks him, and he can feel his face heat up.

"So that you and our future child can never be taken away from me." Ichigo says in a small voice, and Rukia puts her hand on his arm again.

"Nothing would make me happier." Rukia tells him, even though it's nagging at her to figure out how she could have gotten pregnant without knowing.

Ichigo is thinking about the exact same thing, when Rukia finally decides to run the one plausible theory that she came up with past him.

"Ichigo…what if when I was sleeping in your closet, Kon opened the door, and um…you had a wet dream…that was somehow deposited in me?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo starts choking on his own spit.

"What!?"

"Too unbelievable huh?" Rukia says with a sigh, and Ichigo coughs to clear his throat.

"Your immaculate conception theory sounds more believable than that! I'm pretty sure I can't shoot across my room, even if it isn't that big of a bedroom!" Ichigo says, even though he can't get the image of her theory out of his mind now that she's said it.

A hollow alert on his substitute license cuts the conversation short, and when Rukia pops out of her body using her gikongan, Ichigo grabs her by the shoulder before he bashes Kon over the head with his license.

"From now on, you're support only! I don't want you getting hurt." Ichigo says in a stern voice, and Rukia places a hand on her belly.

"Unless you're in trouble." Rukia says, and Ichigo sighs knowing damn well she'll get very involved if he screws up.

"Fine." He says, popping his own pill and they both jump out of the window, with their minds on killing the hollow they've been alerted about.

Everything with the hollow goes very smoothly, Ichigo finishes it off without requiring any help from Rukia. The end of the hollow's life is more of a relief to Ichigo than usual, and he once again finds himself wondering how in the hell she could have gotten pregnant.

It's a mystery that's been on both of their minds a lot since their eyes saw the positive pregnancy tests.

"I can't believe you want to get married and everything." Rukia says, and Ichigo feels himself warming up, an occurrence happening frequently this day.

"Even if it's sudden…I don't mind the situation, except that I'm worried about a confrontation with anyone claiming to be the one who got you pregnant." Ichigo tells her, and Rukia nods her head.

She's feeling good about the fact that he wants to be with her, and nervous about the fact that the conception of the pregnancy is an occurrence she doesn't remember.

_What exactly does it mean that I don't know how it happened?! How did it happen!?_

Ichigo starts to wonder if his hollow did something in his sleep that he's unaware of, but he's unable to voice that concern out loud to Rukia.

_Fuck you King! If I had my way with her she'd definitely remember it!_

Ichigo inwardly curses his hollow for putting in his two cents, while still wondering about how on earth Rukia could have gotten pregnant.

They get back to the house, and hop through the window to an unbelievable sight. Kon has Chappy naked up against the door, and it's obvious they're having sex.

"What the hell!?" Rukia gasps, as understanding finally dawns on her.

"This is what happened?!" Ichigo roars, as he rips Kon's naked body away from Rukia's gigai and smacks both his body and Rukia's body with his license.

"Kon and Chappy!?" Rukia says, realizing exactly what's happened.

"What the hell kind of creation is inside you if it was conceived by a temporary soul and a modified soul!?" Ichigo snaps at her, and Rukia gulps nervously.

"The modified souls and temporary souls don't have the reproductive capacities to reproduce…" Rukia's voice is quiet, and Ichigo's eyes pop open wide.

"But…how?!" Ichigo asks, and Urahara pops in the window.

"Is there something I can help you two with?" Urahara asks slyly, and Rukia turns to him.

"I'm pregnant, but I've never had sex…but we have now caught Kon and Chappy having sex…" Rukia says, with her face a bright shade of red.

"Ah I see, but the modified soul and temporary soul can not reproduce their own offspring. Congratulations Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki-san, you two will be wonderful parents, I'm certain!" Urahara says, and Ichigo sputters even as Rukia asks what he's thinking.

"How!?"

"It's simple Kuchiki-san! Kurosaki-san's ability to reproduce stays with his body until he is ready to go to Soul Society for good. When Kon used his body to mate with Chappy, he didn't get her pregnant, but he did deposit what was necessary inside of her in order to get you pregnant. When you took over the gigai, the sperm finally had access to a working reproductive system. A human male's sperm lives three to four days on average, but on rare occasions can live for over a week." Urahara says, in a very happy sounding voice.

Ichigo grabs the green pill off the floor that represents Kon, and comes very close to crushing it in his hand.

"Ichigo!" Rukia snatches the pill out of his grasp just before he can destroy it.

"That pervert lost all privileges to his life." Ichigo says in a hard voice, and Rukia is sure she's never seen him so mad.

"He didn't know…and Chappy was willing! Plus, this means that you actually are the father!" Rukia says, and Ichigo crosses his arms.

_It's too fucked up that two virgins are pregnant together…_

"He's not allowed in my body anymore." Ichigo says in a hard voice, as a sudden disturbing thought fills his head.

_What if that pervert decided to rape one of my sisters and got one of them pregnant too!? I can never allow that! _

"I understand." Rukia says firmly.

Then she realizes that if Kon had the opportunity there were a lot of women he'd probably sleep with, and she's glad that he stuck with Chappy so that some other girl isn't saying she's pregnant by him.

"Urahara. I don't want you to breathe a word of this to anyone, do you understand me? If you do, I'll kill you myself." Ichigo says with a scary look on his face, and Urahara holds up his hands.

"No need to make threats, my lips are sealed." Urahara says hastily, and then Ichigo turns towards Rukia.

"I'm going to take responsibility Rukia. Everyone is going to think I got you pregnant. This is going to be our baby." Ichigo tells her, and Rukia just nods her head, even as she has disturbing images of her brother using his shikai to remove Ichigo's man parts.

"Okay." Rukia says simply, as she puts her hand over her belly again, and Ichigo's face instantly softens.

"Get lost Urahara." Ichigo says, and Urahara smiles.

"Sure thing, Kurosaki-san!" Kisuke quickly gets the hell out of the window, and Ichigo tentatively puts his hand over Rukia's hand which is still over her belly.

"Ichigo, ni-sama might not be very understanding…" Rukia says, trailing off when she pictures Ichigo taking responsibility for her condition without explaining the truth.

"I won't let Byakuya do anything stupid, you know you can count on me Rukia." Ichigo says in a firm voice, and Rukia stares up into his eyes, which are filled with resolve.

"I'm glad." Rukia tells him, and Ichigo leans down to kiss her.

"Maybe it all got started the wrong way, but we'll make everything right." Ichigo tells Rukia, and she smiles.

"We still have to tell your father." She reminds him, and Ichigo suddenly looks very ill.

"Damn." He doesn't look forward to tell his father anything, but he's already made his decision.

"After all of your denial earlier, I am interested to see how you'll pull this off." Rukia says, trying not to smile, and Ichigo looks even more nervous after hearing that.

"Damn it!" He doesn't seem capable of saying much else at the moment.

"Maybe we can tell him we suddenly remembered." Rukia says helpfully, but Ichigo just glares at her.

"You don't have to look so joyful you know!" He says sharply, but Rukia rubs her belly and smiles even more gorgeously at him.

"But I'm going to have your baby…I can't stop smiling!" Rukia tells him, and Ichigo begins to blush.

"Stop it Rukia…"

"Except that people who know my true age will call me a pedophile and other horrible names…" Rukia trails off, and Ichigo looks very angry at her words.

"I'll kick anyone's ass who says a word to you!" He vows in a low voice, and Rukia grins at him.

"You know I intended to wait until you were a man in the eyes of your laws before I ever made a real move on you…" She admits, and Ichigo's eyes go wide.

"Is that all that was holding you back?" He asks in amazement, and Rukia nods her head yes.

"Believe it or not, I have admonished myself many times for the intense feelings I have for someone who is still a minor, but it seems Kon and Chappy have decided to shave off a couple of years for us, I'm kind of grateful to be honest." Rukia tells him, and Ichigo is still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that she felt guilty about having feelings for him because he was still a kid in the eyes of the law.

_She would only have to worry if she looked like she was an adult…to bad most people think I'm older than her…I probably shouldn't tell her that though._

Little do either of them know that Isshin already heard Chappy and Kon in action while Rukia and Ichigo were gone, and has also heard their conversation. Even if Ichigo didn't do the act, he's still the father, and the whole incident has made the two confess their love for one another.

_I know how you feel Rukia-chan…Masaki was still a teenager when I met her too…it was all I could do to keep myself from ravishing her. It's okay, I approve of your relationship with my son, in fact I'm your biggest cheerleader!_

Isshin heads to his office to write a note while his son and future daughter-in-law try to come up with some sort of silly lie to tell him, and he tapes the note on the door before whisking Karin and Yuzu out for a dinner without the pair, thinking they need time alone.

When Ichigo opens his door, he finds the note his father left him, and he gawks as he reads it out loud to Rukia, who listens intently.

"Ichigo, don't bother to try and come up with a lie, I already know you got Rukia-chan pregnant, and that you're going to do the right thing. Congratulations! I'm taking the girls out, to give you two plenty of time to celebrate your good news in private. I can't wait to have a baby in the house again, and the two of you can count on your family to help you since you're young parents. Next time, make sure Rukia-chan remembers it! Your father." Ichigo's voice is rather strained as he finishes the letter, and Rukia falls into a hail of giggles.

"If you keep laughing, I'm going to catch you and do something unpleasant." Ichigo threatens, which makes Rukia only laugh harder.

When Ichigo reaches out to grab her, Rukia squeals and darts just out of his reach.

"Don't even play with me Ichigo!"

"I warned you Rukia!"

Rukia is up on her feet, and she dashes away from him.

"Stay away from me!" Rukia squawks out, but Ichigo gets a very smug look.

"Don't think you can outrun me!" Ichigo shouts out, before he dashes after her, but when he does catch her a moment later, he can't think of anything unpleasant to do, so he leans down to kiss her, which she seems shocked at.

When he pulls away, Rukia gives him a look of confusion.

"What's unpleasant about that?!" She asks him, and Ichigo smiles.

"I'm not done." He informs her in a soft and dangerous voice, which Rukia immediately looks concerned about.

"What do you mean, you're not done?" She asks him suspiciously, and Ichigo smirks at her.

"Don't worry Rukia, you won't be a virgin when you actually give birth…" Ichigo tells her, and Rukia's eyes get very wide.

"Ichigo!"

He silences her with a kiss, and takes her to the bed where he proceeds to keep his promise. Rukia doesn't fight it, because she gets what she's always wanted most, to be as close to Ichigo as she can possibly get.

_I guess I'm not a pregnant virgin anymore!_


	12. As Requested: Urahara's Party

**A/N- I had a request from a reader…a very detailed request to do a certain story. It may start out confusing at first, but I'm sure it will be cleared up quickly enough. This is dedicated to the person that requested it, please enjoy! **

_Urahara's Party_

"Can you believe how Ishida is staring at Inoue?" Sado asks Ichigo, and this causes a depressed Ichigo to raise an eyebrow.

"You sure are talking a hell of a lot tonight." Ichigo says as he moves his cup in a slow circle without caring to drink any of it.

"I am?" Sado asks, and Ichigo coughs.

_You haven't shut up for the past half hour!_

"I don't mind, it's just not like you." Ichigo says, and Sado shrugs, before he starts yammering about Ishida again.

"It's obvious he's in love with her." Sado says, and Ichigo nearly drops his drink.

"We're not a couple of girls…we shouldn't be talking about that." Ichigo says, shifting uncomfortably, and Sado finishes his drink.

"I'll be right back." Sado says, as he goes to look for a refill, and Ichigo rubs his forehead in relief since gossiping about Inoue is not something he cares to do.

_I think this is the first time he's ever actually annoyed me. _

Ichigo glances over in Rukia's direction, but she's not talking to him. He pissed her off when he told her to stop wearing Yuzu's dresses.

Rukia ended up mad because it was her own _new_ dress, and she felt he was saying she looked childish.

The whole thing was stupid, but she went ahead and invited Karin to join them to the party since they ran into her on the way, and now his little sister running loose around, probably torturing Jinta.

Ichigo's speculations prove to be wrong though. He sighs as he tears his eyes away from Rukia to locate his little sister, and once again he nearly drops his drink when he sees Toushirou all over her. Karin appears to be enjoying his attention, even though she keeps shaking her head no at him.

"What in the hell is going on…why is everyone acting so weird?!" Ichigo mutters as he strolls over closer to his sister. He nearly has a stroke when he hears what Toushirou is saying to Karin.

"Come on, we should just leave this party, and go out somewhere alone together…"

Ichigo doesn't even think. He grabs Toushirou by his spiked hair and glares down into glowing aqua eyes.

"What in the hell are you saying to my little sister?" Ichigo asks in a dangerous voice, and Toushirou quickly removes himself from Ichigo's grasp.

"Stay out of this Kurosaki." Toushirou orders him, but Ichigo bitch slaps him across the face.

"When it comes to my family I don't stay out of it!" Ichigo snarls, and he feels himself being grabbed from behind.

"Ichigo are you insane!?" Rukia's voice hisses, and Ichigo considers throwing her out the window along with the little snot who was hitting on his little sister.

"No I'm not insane! He's trying to hit on my little sister." Ichigo says in a low voice, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" Rukia's shock seems to subdue the captain who'd looked ready to fight.

"Kurosaki misunderstood." Toushirou says instead, and Ichigo's hand flies out to hit the tiny captain right in the nose.

"Shut the hell up! I didn't misunderstand a damned thing you tiny pervert!" Ichigo snarls, and Yoruichi along with Urahara are forced to get in between the pair.

"This is a party, not a time to fight." Yoruichi says to Ichigo as she stares into his angry eyes.

_I'm trying to remember why I agreed to come to such a fucked up party in the first place…_

"As long as he quits trying to defile my younger sister who, I'll happily let him be." Ichigo is getting more livid by the second.

"Fine! I'll leave her alone!" Toushirou lies, before he gives Rukia a look, and she sighs.

"Ichigo we need to talk anyways." Rukia says through gritted teeth, even though she's really still quite annoyed with him.

Ichigo shoots her a glare, but he nods his head once since the shrimp captain said he'd leave Karin alone. They head outside and Rukia tries to come up with some sort of reasonable explanation for wanting to talk to him. She's horrified with herself when she realizes she was actually hoping for a hollow alert to sound so she wouldn't have to come up with something to say.

"What is it?" Ichigo finally asks, when Rukia is silent for a minute.

"I shouldn't have gotten so upset that you're such an idiot." Rukia says, feeling better with each word that comes out of her mouth, and Ichigo's eyes widen in annoyance.

"What the hell, Rukia!?"

"It's not your fault that you're so idiotic that you couldn't compliment my dress instead of accusing me of taking it from your sister." Rukia continues, and Ichigo narrows his eyes at her since it's not like she's never taken one of Yuzu's dresses in the past.

"The way you say that makes it sound like it is my fault that I'm idiotic, which I'm not by the way!" Ichigo snaps at her, and Rukia puts her hands on her hips while glaring him into silent submission before she advances full force upon him.

"Isn't it common sense to compliment a woman's looks before going out instead of accusing her of something, or has earth started a whole new custom that I'm unaware of?" Rukia asks him, and Ichigo is stumped for a moment before he eyes the dress again.

_I only said that because I couldn't tell her she looked incredible in it…_

"I guess so…" Ichigo mumbles, and Rukia grins.

"At any rate, I forgive you." She tells him before she heads back in.

Upon entering Urahara's she sees Toushirou had not been at all honest about hitting on Karin, because he's now giving her a backrub and whispering into her ear, and Rukia blinks one time, before Ichigo is all over the shortest Captain once more.

"You lying bastard!" Ichigo roars, as he separates Toushirou from his sister, and then he glares at his sister.

"What is it, Ichi-ni?" Karin asks nervously, and Ichigo's eyes flash angrily as he glares at her.

"Go home now. Have Ururu walk you home, or Jinta, but you need to leave now. Before I commit murder." Ichigo says through his teeth, and Karin gulps as she nods her head.

Yoruichi and Urahara exchange a nervous look with one another since this isn't how they'd anticipated their party would go. When they hear the tone of Ichigo's voice next, the hairs on Yoruichi's arms go straight up.

"I don't care if you're a captain of Soul Society, you should have backed off while you had the chance." Ichigo's voice leaves no room for arguments, and his eyes look beyond serious, as reiatsu is visually building up in his eyes without being in Shinigami form.

Rukia's eyes are wide, and she can't even force herself to step in front of Ichigo no matter how much she knows she should, because nothing in the world could make her step in front of Ichigo when he's as furious as what he appears to be at this very moment.

_He's even madder than ni-sama is whenever he sees Ichigo…_

"You need to calm down." Toushirou says in a snappy voice, and he waves his hand out widely, which causes it to graze across Inoue's breast.

Inoue lets out a scream of surprise and Ishida's hand flies out to smack Toushirou's hand away from Inoue's breast.

"Watch what you're doing!" Ishida snaps angrily, and Toushirou frowns at him.

"It was an accident, I didn't touch her on purpose. What in the hell is wrong with everyone today?" Toushirou asks, and Ichigo's eyes flash as he grabs Toushirou up by his collar.

"I'm trying to figure out what in the hell is wrong with you. I'm going to have to stop myself from actually killing you…" Ichigo's words make everyone's eyes widen, but nobody is able to speak up and tell Ichigo to stop with his violence or whatever it is he has planned for the smallest captain of Soul Society.

Suddenly Yoruichi finds herself calming down, and she knows she can stop whatever insanity is about to take place, and she uses her shunpo to get in between Ichigo and Toushirou, and breaks them apart.

"Out of my way Yoruichi-san." Ichigo says in a low voice, but Yoruichi jams her knee right up into his manhood catching his full attention and also catching him off guard.

"Listen up Ichigo. I hate to tell you but this is actually a special party, it is very important to me. No matter how wrong he was I can't allow this to go any further. Are we clear?" Yoruichi's voice is full of threats, and Ichigo cringes at the idea that she'll viciously jam her knee upward.

"Yes ma'am…very clear…" Ichigo says, as all of the reiatsu leaves his eyes.

Yoruichi then advances on Toushirou who actually appears a bit nervous with the full force of her womanly anger directed at him.

"Ichigo was right, what you did was unacceptable. You really ought to bow your head and thank your lucky stars that I just saved you, because you would have deserved whatever he wanted to dish out to you for what you just pulled." Yoruichi tells him with an icy tone, and Toushirou ducks his head.

"It's all of you who have dirty minds. It's not like I was going to make her into a woman when I got her alone, I just wanted to hear her thoughts on things, she intrigues me-" Toushirou starts to explain, but Yoruichi cuts him off.

"I think we've heard enough. Kisuke and I have news to give everyone, and so I think everyone ought to act a bit more respectfully, and not ruin our party." Her voice is full of authority, and everyone nods their head, even though Ishida throws another little glare Toushirou's way for touching Inoue's breast.

"Ichigo…." Rukia murmurs as she steps next to him, and he simply grits his teeth while trying to remain calm.

_Why do I find violent women so damned intriguing!?_

"Maybe we should give the news now." Urahara says, as everyone shifts in their place nervously.

"I think you're right…" Yoruichi says, and she stares at the crowd until the most unlikely person speaks up.

"So what's your news, Yoruichi-san?" Sado asks, and Yoruichi smiles.

"Kisuke and I are getting married!" Yoruichi announces, and everyone's mouth drops open except for Ichigo who can't help speaking what he's thinking.

"I thought you two were related for some reason." Ichigo says, and Yoruichi rolls her eyes.

"Do we look related?" She asks, and Ichigo waves that off dismissively.

"A lot of people who are related don't resemble each other." Ichigo says easily, and Yoruichi frowns.

"We've been friends since we were children, but we are not actually related." Yoruichi clarifies, and Ichigo nods.

"Congratulations!" Rukia says next, and Ichigo immediately nods his head.

"Yeah, congratulations!" He agrees, feeling bad that he ruined the announcement by asking if they were related.

"Thank you!" Yoruichi says, beaming happily, and everyone begins to smile.

"I can't believe Urahara-san and Yoruichi-san are getting married!" Inoue says excitedly to Ishida, who stares at her big excited eyes, and feels himself blushing.

Sado looks on at the scene and snorts at the obvious way in which his friend is staring at his other friend.

"Why don't you ask her out already?" Sado asks under his breath, and Ishida blushes harder even though he frowns back at his large friend.

"Everyone is acting weird tonight." Ichigo grumbles, and Rangiku slides up next to him.

"Probably because the punch was spiked." She says breezily before walking off with a big smile on her face, and Ichigo glares after her.

_It's all her fault! That damned Rangiku-san!_

Rukia has finally started to take a bit of pity on Ichigo, since she's the one who invited Karin to the party anyways, and she puts her hand on his arm, instantly getting his attention.

"Will you cheer up if I massage your feet tonight?" Rukia asks him, and Ichigo blushes a dark shade of red.

"You don't have to do that…" Ichigo says hastily, and Rukia grins.

"But I think you'll like it…" Rukia tells him with a sparkle in her eyes, and Ichigo refuses to look her in the eyes or walk away from her, since she might say something else even more intriguing.

_**That's right King! We're both perverts! What will Rukia-chan offer up next after already having offered a foot massage!?**_

_Shit! Shut up pervert!_

"I'll think about it." Ichigo mutters, and he nearly snorts.

_I won't be able to stop thinking about it!_

_**Me neither King!**_

_Holy shit shut up!_

Rukia grins since she's sure she's embarrassed him enough, and she's surprised to find she's actually enjoying herself at a party with him.

"Here Ichigo, have a drink." Rukia says, and Ichigo holds up his hand.

"No thanks." He says, especially now that he knows the punch has been spiked, he's glad he wasn't thirsty earlier.

"Afraid to have some fun?" Rukia taunts, but Ichigo manages to hold strong.

"I'm not in the mood to get wasted like everyone else here." Ichigo tells her in a serious voice, just before he realizes her face is a bit flushed.

_Is she drunk?_

"Don't make me hold you down and force this down your throat." Rukia says, and Ichigo's eyes widen.

"Don't even joke like that Rukia." Ichigo says, just before Sado comes and stands next to them.

"I wonder who will hook up first…the two of you or Ishida and Inoue." Sado says, getting both Ichigo and Rukia to blush very hard.

"What are you talking about Sado!?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo holds his breath.

"I think you two will be first. I'm actually surprised it hasn't already happened." Sado says, while Ichigo and Rukia exchange an embarrassed look.

"You sure are talkative tonight…" Ichigo mutters. "…an effect of the spiked punch I'm sure." Ichigo says, and Sado's eyes widen.

'The punch is spiked?!" Sado says and Ichigo just shakes his head at his friend.

"Nothing you can do about it now considering how much of it you've already had to drink tonight." Ichigo tells him, and then Sado gives them a sheepish smile.

"The only reason I think you two will be first is because you always did things fast…I'm surprised you two aren't already married with kids." Sado turns and walks away after saying that, but then Yoruichi puts an arm around Ichigo and one around Rukia.

"If you two want, we can have a double wedding!" Yoruichi teases, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"Ichigo! That sounds fun, lets do it!" Rukia says, and Ichigo nearly falls over.

"You…are drunk. I'm taking you back home before you say or do something even more embarrassing." Ichigo tells her before he tugs her by her arm away from Yoruichi who can't stop laughing at Rukia's reaction to a double wedding.

"Foot massage!" Rukia sings and Ichigo turns practically purple.

"Shut up Rukia!"

Of course the moment they get back to his house, Rukia passes out on the floor and Ichigo is forced to put her away in the closet.

_I wonder if she'll even remember all the stuff she said when tomorrow comes…_

"I hope not…" Ichigo says out loud, still feeling mighty embarrassed.

_The Next Morning…_

"Ichigo! Rukia-chan told me! You two are tying the knot!" Isshin's words wake Ichigo more than the foot aimed right at his temple.

"What!?" Ichigo roars, and his father starts to laugh.

"At this moment I am proud to be your father! You got yourself such a cute little wife!" Isshin says, and Ichigo blushes as he shakes his head.

"Rukia!" Ichigo roars, and that's when she appears, in a white sundress looking all…beautiful.

"I'm sorry Ichigo, was it supposed to be a secret?" Rukia asks innocently, and Ichigo sighs before shaking his head.

"Whatever."

He can't even find any argument against it, since there could be no better wife than Rukia, not to mention he's head over heels in love with her.

Isshin leaves the two alone, and Rukia grins at him.

"Ichigo…last night…I wasn't drunk. It takes way more than that to get a Kuchiki drunk." Rukia tells him, and Ichigo shakes his head.

"You won't be a Kuchiki anymore once we're married." He reminds her, wondering if she was kidding about that too, but Rukia just smiles widely at him.

"You'll be a good husband." Rukia tells him, as she backs away, but her eyes are sparkling mischievously.

"Why's that?" Ichigo asks suspiciously, waiting for her to yell out that she's just been kidding.

"I won't have it any other way." Rukia says, and Ichigo can only breathe as he stares at the beautiful woman that manages to pop in and out of his life in the most magnificent of ways.

_And once we're married, you won't escape me anymore._

* * *

**A/N- I'm SOOO behind on my emails and whatnot but I will go through and respond like always when I have a chance to do so!**


	13. White Cat

**A/N- When the idea formed in my head, I had to write this out. It's dedicated to DH a great friend of mine! Love you DH!**

_White Cat_

Something Kaien said about Rukia's zanpakutou once, always stuck in her head.

"_You always try to do what you believe is right, regardless of the rules. I'm glad you're in the Thirteenth Division, Kuchiki! You'd better save me if I'm ever in trouble!"_

"_Kaien-dono!"_

"_Just kidding! I'll always be the one protecting my squad, not the other way around!" _

Then Rukia thinks about what Inoue confessed to her.

"_Kuchiki-san…I am in love with Kurosaki-kun…" _

Inoue hadn't said much beyond that, but Rukia had felt that maybe she was in the way of Ichigo being able to live a happy, normal, and full human life, since she dragged him into the Shinigami world with her ineptness the first night she came into his house.

After a lot of consideration, and living in the Kurosaki residence with no confession of any kind from Ichigo, Rukia decided she had to do something.

Her captain has already given her permission to remain in the living world, at Ichigo's side as his partner. She doesn't know why she hasn't shared this information with Ichigo, and she really does want to stay and have his back so that he can keep on living.

_But I don't want to get in the way of his life! I don't want to get in the way of his happiness!_

This is what drove Rukia to do what she'd decided to do, learn the kidou spell to turn herself into a cat from Yoruichi, since being in that form hides your reiatsu as well. It's a high level concealing spell. Rukia is determined to go through with it.

It didn't take Rukia long to master turning into a cat, but she's not a sleek black cat like Yoruichi, instead she's mostly white with a black tipped tail, ears, and black paws along with bright blue eyes. She resembles a Siamese cat, but with a fuller face than what they typically have.

There are two downfalls though, for one, Rukia doesn't have as much reiatsu as Yoruichi, and is unable to remain a cat for indefinite periods of time. Which leads to the second, that when she transforms back, she's completely naked.

_Which could be a problem if I transform back while with Ichigo…_

Rukia blushes at the mere thought of such a thing happening. She's able to hold her cat form for twelve hours currently, only needing about an hour of rest before she can go back to it. Yoruichi assured her that if she kept doing the transformation, she'd be able to hold it longer and longer.

Even though it may be a bit risky, Rukia is ready to put her plan into action, and let Ichigo believe that she'll only come back whenever she's needed to actually fight…allowing him to live his life without any interference from her.

There's no way she can actually say it to him, because she might start to cry in the middle of her explanation, and she's pretty damned sure that Ichigo would demand an explanation for her tears.

So Rukia writes a letter, and leaves it on the bed before she begins the task of removing herself from Ichigo's daily life.

* * *

Ichigo knows something has been up with Rukia lately, because she hasn't been acting like her usual self. She isn't smiling nearly as much, and he's caught her looking at him questioningly on several occasions, not that she would explain why she was looking at him that way.

She hasn't even left his room all evening long. He had decided to give her some space, but now he's ready for an explanation. He walks into his room and nearly jumps out of his skin when he sees a white cat curled up in a ball on his bed sleeping. He blinks a few times, ready to scream at Rukia for getting a cat without asking, but then he sees the envelope on the bed, and his heart drops.

"Ichigo…this cat is one I was secretly taking care of for awhile, and I want you to make sure you look after her too. She's an outdoor cat, so let her out if she wants to go out, she always comes back. You and I will see each other again, but only when I'm needed to actually fight. I don't want to interfere with your daily life anymore. I promise you though, I will be the first one to welcome you to Soul Society, when it's your time to come there. Then our true partnership can begin. Best wishes, Rukia."

Ichigo feels like his stomach is tying itself into knots.

"Why did you leave, Rukia! I didn't want you to go! We already had a true partnership!" Ichigo growls, before he looks back at the cat, who has suddenly decided to open her eyes, and Ichigo is taken aback by the blue of the cat's eyes.

_They look just like Rukia's eyes._

The cat lets out a pitiful meow as she stands up and stays in place in a sitting position, just watching him.

"She could have told me what she named you." Ichigo mutters as he stares at the cat, feeling very much like it's his only connection to Rukia.

The more he looks at the cat's eyes, the more he's reminded of Rukia, and finally, even though he knows everyone will have something to say about it, he decides to name her after her original mistress.

"Even if it seems silly, I'm going to call you Rukia, since it's the only name I can think of when I look at your face." Ichigo says out loud, and the cat stands, taking a cautious step towards him, and Ichigo reaches out to pet her head. "Don't worry, I'll get your real name from the real Rukia the next time she decides to grace us with her presence. I'll give her a piece of my mind too!"

The purring starts the moment he begins to pet her, and Ichigo has to fight the urge to smile at the cat's affectionate response to his attention.

"You're so soft and clean for an outdoor cat. I suppose it can't hurt to keep you." Ichigo says softly, and the cat's purrs seem to grow louder at his agreement to keep her.

Unfortunately, a cat that reminds him of Rukia, isn't enough to keep him from getting a lump in his throat. He gently forces the cat to one side of the bed, before climbing in, and burying his face in the pillow, so that if any tears do come, they won't be seen.

Now he'll have to be the one to tell his friends that Rukia has gone away again. He doesn't look forward to that at all.

Rukia sits there finding herself surprised at his reaction to her departure. He really seems to be taking it hard. She had expected him to show a little bit of relief, but instead, he just looked completely defeated by her letter. She wonders why, when she's trying to do the right thing, why it feels so wrong.

_Maybe I was wrong. I need to be sure though. I figured he would have said something by now if he actually needed me…_

She's sure she's got it all figured out, even though it really be a big mess if Ichigo actually figures it out. She can easily hold the transformation for seven days straight, and it only takes her about an hour to recover in order to start the transformation again. Thanks to Urahara, she has a reiatsu concealing cloak so that Ichigo doesn't sense her nearby presence when she's resting. That's not all though, the shady shopkeeper also sold her pills that can cut her recovery time in half if there's ever a need.

_Ichigo still has school, so I'm sure if I plan it out carefully, I can pull this off, at least temporarily._

Rukia settles down and rests her head on her paws. She doesn't really mind being a cat, she's pleased with her appearance, except that she feels her eyes give her away. Yoruichi had assured her that Ichigo would never be astute enough to realize the difference, since her reiatsu would be hidden with the spell. Even her spiritual thread is affected in the spell.

Ichigo isn't asleep, instead he's in his inner world, and he can see that the skies are cloudy with Zangetsu looking mighty depressed.

"Old man…" Ichigo says softly, and Zangetsu grunts as he meets Ichigo's eyes.

"It feels like it could rain at any minute." Zangetsu remarks, and Ichigo shakes his head.

"I'll definitely see her again, and when I do…" Ichigo says resolutely, and Zangetsu sighs.

"Don't let it rain in here. Do whatever you have to do." Zangetsu tells him forcefully and Ichigo manages a smile as he nods his head in agreement.

"I didn't need you to tell me that though." Ichigo says, before he opens his eyes and turns his head to see the cat looking his way with her head on her paws.

Ichigo's hollow badge starts to go off, and Rukia nearly gets knocked off the bed as Ichigo dashes to his feet. He wonders if Yuzu has Kon again since he hasn't seen the tiny modified soul for a few days now. He doesn't allow that to stop him though, he simply pops out of his body and flies out the window.

Rukia can sense that it's a very weak hollow, so she doesn't follow after him, even though all of her instincts tell her to go. It goes against her own beliefs to ignore it but she doesn't want Ichigo to see her so soon after her departure. It will have to be a hollow that is somewhat strong before Rukia makes her next appearance to him.

His father opens the door and Rukia dives under the bed before his father walks in. When Isshin does, he sighs in an aggravated manner.

"Why can't that idiot use Kon when he does this? This could freak someone else out." Isshin says as he lifts his son's body into the bed to make it appear he's sleeping. Then he sees the letter that Rukia left for Ichigo.

Rukia edges to towards the light and peers up from under the bed at Ichigo's father as he reads the letter. Then the man looks down suddenly, and sees two big blue eyes looking at him from under the bed. He walks back to the door to close it and then he goes back to the bed to peer under it.

He gets swatted in the nose by Rukia's sharp claws, and he immediately backs up but laughs instead of getting mad. Rukia is a bit confused but Isshin meets her eyes and winks.

"Don't play with his feelings too much okay?" Isshin says before standing up and leaving the room, leaving Rukia to wonder if he's already figured out her game.

Rukia senses the destruction of the hollow, but it takes Ichigo much longer to come back, causing her to worry.

* * *

"Why did you show up Ishida?" Ichigo snarls, just before Inoue and Sado come running too.

"I felt the hollow, so I came." Ishida says simply, and Ichigo just looks frustrated.

"Ichigo!" Sado yells, and Ichigo turns his head, not meeting the man's eyes, since he knows him so well.

"I guess I didn't need to come after all," Inoue says sheepishly, but then she quickly notices a usual member of their gang is missing.

"Yes Inoue-san, I took care of the hollow." Ishida says, and Ichigo rolls his eyes.

"Where is Kuchiki-san?" Inoue asks, and Ichigo's lips go into an instant scowl.

"Gone." That's all he says, and they all gasp.

"What happened?" Sado is the first to ask, and everyone listens intently, even though Ichigo pauses a long moment before replying.

"She left a letter. Said she didn't want to interfere with my life and she'd only come back to kill hollows…but as you can see, she didn't show this time." Ichigo says in a low voice and they all have to strain their ears to hear him properly.

Inoue takes one look at his depressed face and she suddenly feels guilty.

_Was it the fact that I confessed to Kuchiki-san that I am in love with him that made her do this?_

Inoue feels a little bit sad, but she also feels hope. Maybe she can finally be the woman who takes the number one place in his heart. She walks over to him and puts her hand on his arm to offer him comfort.

"Kurosaki-kun, everyone, come back to my place with me." Inoue says, and everyone just sort of nods their heads at her offer.

"Let me go get my body first-" Ichigo starts to say, but Ishida cuts him off.

"Why bother?" Ishida asks, and Ichigo just sighs.

"I guess that's true." Ichigo says, and they all head back to Inoue's apartment.

* * *

Three weeks have passed since Rukia began turning into a cat, and Ichigo seems depressed almost every time he pets her, but he's also spending an increased amount of time away from home, more than what he did when she was there.

_I guess it was inevitable. He was probably here because he felt he had to be here, not because he wanted to._

Even so, a strong hollow just hasn't shown up, and Rukia has been able to go on as a cat without any problems whatsoever.

Kon was very displeased when he learned about the cat, but he softened when he saw the eyes, but Rukia would just swat at him anytime he came near, so he leaves her alone at all costs, for fear her sharp claws will shred him until he's unrecognizable.

Nobody in Ichigo's family outside of his father has seen her since she spends the time Ichigo isn't home laying down on the roof, just waiting for his return.

The only time she's vulnerable is when she's resting, but it seems the middle of the day on a school day works best, until the kids go on summer break. Rukia doesn't have to worry about that just yet, but when that happens, she knows she'll figure out something.

Ichigo comes home with some tuna for her, and she eats it happily while he absentmindedly rubs her back.

"It's been weeks since I've seen that damn Rukia, and by the time she graces me with her presence again to let me know what your true name is, Rukia will have stuck." Ichigo mutters, while the cat's ears flinch while she eats, but she stops suddenly to look up at Ichigo and he gets the feeling the cat really was listening to him.

Ichigo flops onto his bed, and closes his eyes.

_I've been going as much as I can these past few weeks, but it still feels like my life is missing an important piece. I wish she'd come back…_

Rukia finishes up the last of her tuna, and wonders when a big enough hollow will come for her to return to her original form. She hops onto the bed, and Ichigo's hand reaches out to rub the back of her head.

"Maybe I should have Urahara open up a path and drag her back against her will…although I'll just look pathetic if she doesn't want to come."

Rukia stops breathing for an instant. She can hardly believe he's entertaining ideas about bringing her back.

"That's right you should! This house is nothing but torture without nee-san around to brighten up my day!" Kon's voice draws Ichigo's and Rukia's attention, and Ichigo practically growls.

"Shut up Kon, I'm not going to do that. Where Rukia is…that's her choice. If I'd realized you were back in my room, I wouldn't have said anything. Where've you been these past few days?"

"I had to leave this room because that cat with nee-san colored eyes looked like she wanted to sharpen her claws on my sexy plush body!" Kon says, and Ichigo rolls his eyes.

"Then this cat definitely has its uses." Ichigo mutters, and Kon glares at him.

"Hey you ungrateful bastard, I heard that! Why don't you just admit it already? You want nee-san back as much as I do!" Kon says, and Ichigo gives him a death stare.

Kon breaks under the pressure and runs out of the room, leaving Ichigo to sigh after his departure.

Ichigo stays quiet for a few minutes, and then the cat suddenly hops down, diving under the bed, and not two seconds later, Karin opens the door with an annoyed look on her face.

"Ichi-ni…phone. Yuzu's been yelling…" Karin says, and Ichigo shakes his head.

"Tell them I'm sleeping," He says, and Karin looks annoyed.

"But it's Orihime-chan!"

"Tell her I'm sleeping. I just want to lay down for now." Ichigo tells his sister, and she slams his door shut before stomping down the hall.

The moment his sister is gone, the cat pokes her head out from under the bed, and then hops back up on the bed.

"You're like a little alarm, huh?" Ichigo says under his breath, before he rolls over on his side, with his back to the door.

* * *

The next morning, Ichigo decides he doesn't feel like going to school, and so his house quiets down quite a bit with his father in the clinic area, and his sisters gone. The cat scratches on the window, and Ichigo finds himself curious to see what his blue eyed feline friend does whenever he lets her out, so he waits until she's hopped up on the roof, and he smacks his chest with the Shinigami badge and hops up onto the roof after her.

Rukia is surprised when Ichigo follows her, but she doesn't act like she knows he's there. Instead she curls up on the roof in a sunny spot and she closes her eyes, wondering what he'll do next.

"I guess you like it up here." Ichigo says, before hopping back down into his room and getting in his body.

_That cat is my only connection to Rukia besides my Shinigami powers…I hope she doesn't run away like the real Rukia._

* * *

When Rukia hops back into Ichigo's room, she finds that he has made a makeshift litter box underneath his desk for her to use. There's no litter in it yet, but she's positive that's what it is.

"I told my dad about you. He brought up some litter, saying he already knew there was a cat in the house. He agreed with me that I shouldn't let you outside anymore. You could fall off the roof or get run over by a car, and what would I tell Rukia then, when she comes back?" Ichigo says, and Rukia blinks her cat eyes at his explanation.

_I hope this doesn't make things harder on me…I should have expected something like this though…_

Ichigo doesn't stop at making her a sudden indoor cat, he also starts taking her with him when he's using the bathroom, and she is sure to play with invisible dust bunnies in order to keep from staring up at him as he uses the toilet or prepares to shower. He takes time off of school, and he doesn't go over any of his friends homes for a full week, with no sign of any changes.

_I'll have to rest from my transformation when he sleeps…it's the only way!_

Unfortunately, Ichigo is a light sleeper, and she's terrified transforming back will wake him up instantly.

It seems Ichigo is destined to thwart her plans, not only does he grab her up as he's about to go to bed, lays down, and arranges her next to him, holding her in place with one arm, rubbing her ears with his opposite hand. Rukia freezes for a long moment…she can hear his heart beating, she can feel his warmth, and it feels too good.

_Do most cats allow themselves to be held like this? Somehow I doubt it…_

Rukia makes an attempt to get free, but Ichigo tightens his hold on her.

"Stay here, kitty." Ichigo whispers, before rubbing his cheek against the top of her soft furry head.

_Oh my god, Ichigo!_

It doesn't take long before he's breathing deeply, and she's fairly certain he's fallen asleep, but when she makes another attempt to get away, his arm tightens around her again.

A couple of hours later, she loses her transformation against her will, but to her surprise, Ichigo doesn't wake up…he does however, continue to hold her naked body close to his own as he sleeps, in only a pair of sleeping pants.

"Rukia…" Ichigo's voice mutters her name, and Rukia stops breathing.

_Please let him stay asleep until I can transform back!_

Even though it's a nerve wrecking hour, Rukia enjoys being that close to Ichigo, and even when his hand slides around her front subconsciously…even when his hand cups her breasts, and lazily dips down towards her most forbidden area…she enjoys it all even though he's completely unaware he's doing it.

"Rukia…" He mutters her name intermittently, nuzzling her neck with his nose.

_If we get any closer to one another, I'll be having his babies!_

Miraculously, she gets through an entire hour, and then transforms back into a cat, without waking him up, feeling like she had taken far too large a risk.

_When is he going to go back to school?_

* * *

Ichigo's hollow badge starts to sound a warning, and Ichigo hurries to greet the hollow. He can tell before he arrives that it's an unusually strong one, and he's actually kind of glad, thinking it was going to take a stronger one to bring Rukia back.

Of course, his mind is so much on Rukia, that he gets sloppy when he actually sees the hollow. It seems Ishida is nowhere around this time, when Ichigo wouldn't mind the backup.

When he sees the hollow, it reminds him a little bit of Grimmjow, in it's catlike appearance, except it's a completely red cat, and nimble as one too. Its silver eyes are gleaming, and its white whiskers stand out against the red fur. Its silver claw ends up slicing Ichigo's leg, and then the claw detaches from the hollow's body, but pins him to the ground, caught in with his Shinigami robes. Ichigo starts to struggle as the cat raises its muscular front claw to knock off his head.

"Tsugi no Mai…" The hellish noise made by the cat-hollow screeching as ice stops its movements completely.

"Rukia!" Ichigo exclaims, getting himself free of the ground instantly, but he put so much force into it, that he finds himself unable to stop his momentum and his head rams right into Rukia's chest.

He takes both of them down and Ichigo breathes hard as he stares into her eyes with his cheeks tinged pink.

Rukia breathes hard as well, waiting for him to roll off of her, but he makes no such move to do that.

"Ichi-"

He cuts her off. "Where in the hell have you been?"

"I left you a note-"

He cuts her off again. "So help me Rukia, if I get another note from you, about you leaving I'll come to Soul Society and drag you back myself! What's so much better about being there than here?" Ichigo demands, and Rukia blinks.

"Can you please get off of me?"

His response shocks the hell out of her. "No!"

"No?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Did I stutter?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo, just what in the hell do you think you're doing to my sister?" Byakuya's voice makes Ichigo flinch, and he suppresses the urge to groan.

"If I have to fight you again Byakuya, I will." Ichigo says, but then he realizes Rukia can run away as he fights her brother… "And I'll be carrying Rukia under one arm while I do."

"Kurosaki Ichigo, I believe you have lost your mind. Either get off my sister or I will detach your head from the rest of your body!" Byakuya orders in a very serious icy tone.

"Get off me _now_ Ichigo!"

In an instant, Ichigo has Rukia under one arm, and he looks at Byakuya head on.

"You fool! Put me down so I can heal your leg! There's blood everywhere!" Rukia elbows Ichigo in the head so hard he gets a bit lightheaded.

"Like you care about healing me. You're perfectly content to let Inoue do it." Ichigo mutters, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"Inoue is better at healing than I am!"

"No, she's just faster at it." Ichigo mutters, and Rukia wants to pull her hair out.

"I just told you I'd heal it for crying out loud!"

Byakuya shakes his head and heads off, his departure unnoticed by both Ichigo and Rukia, since she's busy pinching the underside of Ichigo's arm with all of the strength in her fingers and he's squirming from the tender area she decided to choose for her pinching.

"You just want to run away to Soul Society again!" Ichigo finally argues, and Rukia elbows him in the side.

"Idiot! I'd never leave you bleeding and alone to go to Soul Society! Never!" Rukia's words have the desired effect, he sets her down, though reluctantly.

They stay quiet as Rukia tends to his bloody leg, and to their surprise, not one of Ichigo's friends comes to investigate.

_Doesn't Inoue love him? Why isn't she here?_

"What's the fucking cat's name?" Ichigo asks quietly, when the healing is practically completed, and Rukia pauses.

_Even though I've thought about it…I really am not sure…_

"I always just called her Kitty." Rukia finally says, since that's the only acceptable name besides Rukia that she wants to be addressed by in cat mode.

"Well her name is Rukia now." Ichigo tells her, being as straightforward as possible, and Rukia nods her head at that.

"Are you mad about her?" Rukia whispers a moment later, and Ichigo shakes his head no.

"I like her. She's a cool cat. Easy to take care of, cuddly, a nicer cat than what you normally hear about, unless of course you ask Kon."

Rukia laughs, and Ichigo lets himself smile.

_It feels good to be with her like this. I can't let her leave._

"I'm glad."

"You're not going back." Ichigo says, and Rukia takes a deep breath.

"Yes Ichigo, I am."

"I'll keep you here using force." Ichigo warns her, and Rukia gives him a sad smile.

"Your leg is done."

"Thanks."

That's the moment everything gets hazy for Ichigo. The next thing he knows, he's waking up in the same spot Rukia healed him, and she's disappeared.

"That bitch used kidou on me, didn't she?" Ichigo asks out loud to nobody in particular, but that's when Yoruichi in cat form comes hopping out of the bush.

"I didn't think you'd know what happened, so I stuck around to make sure you were okay." Yoruichi tells him, and Ichigo grimaces.

"Where's Rukia?" Ichigo demands, ready to wring that pretty Shinigami's little neck…

"Gone."

* * *

Ichigo stays ticked off. He cannot believe a perfectly good opportunity to bring Rukia back into his life had been squandered. With each day that passes, his annoyance only increases, until he finds himself wondering what he can do to counteract Rukia's kidou.

The only good thing about his last encounter with Rukia was how damn close her body had been to his when he'd laid on top of her. He had greatly enjoyed that, and has still been trying to figure out why the sensation of doing so had felt so damn familiar.

_Should I go learn kidou from Yoruichi-san or Urahara-san? From Pops?_

When a full two weeks passes with no sign of Rukia, Ichigo finally decides to ask his father.

"If someone is going to use kidou on you, how do you prevent them from doing it without hurting them?"

"You have to strike first of course," Isshin says, without a moment of hesitation, and Ichigo lets out a sigh.

"I don't know kidou."

"Just kill them with Zangetsu." Isshin says, and Ichigo scowls.

"I said I didn't want to hurt anyone! That includes killing!" Ichigo says, and Isshin finally sits down while giving Ichigo an amused smile.

"You never needed kidou before, why now?"

"I can't do anything about kidou when it's being used on me either though," Ichigo points out, and Isshin laughs.

"What kind of spells are you interested in going against?" Isshin asks, and Ichigo answers immediately.

"Binding spells."

Isshin relents, because he cannot let Rukia-chan hide forever. "Alright…I'll show you."

* * *

The tiny bit of freedom that Ichigo gave to Rukia while he trained with his father for a couple of weeks gave her the opportunities she needed to rest without being seen, but she still used the cloak so that Ichigo wouldn't feel her while she was in her Shinigami form.

_I'm lucky he didn't wake up that night I transformed as he slept…_

But then, he stopped again. He's taking way too much time off of school, over a week now, and once again Rukia's at her limit. She knows she'll need to transform before Ichigo goes to sleep tonight, except that she's in his presence and he's studying at his desk, a bunch of makeup work that Sado had brought over to him a few hours earlier.

The window is closed, and Rukia is starting to feel nervous.

"Ichigo! Phone!" Isshin's voice booms from the downstairs, and Ichigo sighs in an irritated manner before walking over to his door, opening it, and then hollering downstairs.

"Tell whoever it is that I'm working on schoolwork right now!"

"It's Orihime-chan!" Yuzu calls up, and Ichigo rolls his eyes.

"I'm doing schoolwork I said!" Ichigo slams his door shut and sighs. "Why does she call here so much?" Rukia is shocked Ichigo doesn't know.

_Because she loves you fool! She hasn't said a word?_

"The only person I want to talk to is Rukia." Ichigo's words are quiet but audible.

Rukia stiffens. It's as if Ichigo's desire has been materialized into a force of kidou, and her spell is unraveling too fast for her to get away.

Ichigo's attention is drawn to the cat, since she's laying on the bed with a strange look on her face.

"You okay?" Ichigo asks as he gets closer to the cat, and picks her up.

The instant the cat is in his hands, a light begins to shimmer off the cat.

"What the hell?"

He can feel a familiar reiatsu…he can feel smooth womanly skin against his hands. His grip tightens. He won't ever let her go again…not back to being a cat, not back to Soul Society.

"Oh no!" That's the first thing he hears out of Rukia, and then as the smoke clears, he remembers what happened when Yoruichi transformed in front of him for the first time.

His eyes are as big as saucers, his cheeks are red, and Rukia's trying to get out of his grip so she can cover herself up and make a mad dash for the closet.

Ichigo wants to say something cool and collected like…_so that's where you've been this whole time_, but all that comes out is a gasp since her naked body is the most glorious thing he's ever seen.

"Let me go!" Rukia snaps at him her face tomato red, and he follows her command automatically.

She zips into the closet while Ichigo tries to recover.

_It was impossible to be mad at her while she was naked! I didn't feel any anger then…but now…_

"Just what the hell were you thinking Rukia?" Ichigo yells, not caring that his family can probably hear him, and he hears rustling in the closet before Rukia pokes her head out.

"You weren't supposed to find out. I was trying not to interfere with your life." Rukia chokes out, and Ichigo rolls his eyes.

"Interfere? That's what you think?" Ichigo walks over to the closet and rips the door open, just as Rukia is smoothing out her robes.

"Yes."

There's a long pause before Ichigo speaks. "It interferes more when you disappear."

"Why didn't you say so sooner?" Rukia asks, and then Ichigo does the unthinkable…he pulls her into his arms…into a hug.

"I didn't know I had to. I thought you knew…"

"How can I know anything without you actually telling me? I don't read minds, Ichigo!"

"That's true…then I guess I should say it." Ichigo says.

Rukia pulls away and looks into his eyes. "Say what?"

"I love you, and you'd better never leave me again, Kuchiki Rukia." Ichigo tells her in a stern voice, and Rukia chokes up, needing a moment before she can respond.

"I can't believe you just said that…and I love you too!" Rukia responds, and then she remembers Inoue.

"Why do you look upset by that admission?" Ichigo asks, with a tone of voice that shows he's hurt.

"Are you sure it's me? There's nobody else you want to be with?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo looks horrified.

"After seeing how bad I got with you gone, how can you even ask that? Nobody compares to you, Rukia." Ichigo informs her with a confident tone, and Rukia leans into his chest.

"You were that bad?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo gawks at her.

"You were here too, didn't you see how pitiful I was?"

"I'm sorry," Rukia whispers, and Ichigo gives her an adorable little grin.

"I'm not going to let you go." Ichigo warns her, and Rukia gives him a smile.

"I can get away anytime I want," Rukia says, and Ichigo shakes his head mischievously,

"No you can't. Not anymore." The look in his eyes lets Rukia know that he's already taken the steps to learn how to thwart her if she attempts to bind him again to get away.

"I can. I just don't want to." Rukia informs him, and Ichigo leans down to kiss the top of her head.

"Thank goodness." He whispers, and Rukia smiles into his chest before pulling away.

Ichigo's face lowers again, and his lips get closer to her own. Their first kiss is awkward, but passionate. Rukia wishes as they kiss that he'd have expressed himself to her sooner.

"I won't leave. I'll be around so much you'll get sick of me," Rukia promises him, as she stares into his eyes, and Ichigo smiles back.

"That'll never happen. Promise."

"I'll hold you to it." Rukia whispers, and they kiss a second time, the awkwardness decreases quite a bit with that too.

_I expect nothing less Rukia. I'll always cherish you._


	14. Requested: Ichigo's Fury & Rukia's Tears

_**A/N-This one was requested, a LONG time ago. I decided to do a request so it's dedicated to the one who requested it!**_

_Ichigo's Fury & Rukia's Tears_

* * *

The elder's words have shocked Rukia.

"Marry you!" Rukia utters, as she stares at the aging old man, feeling a gag rise in her throat.

"Byakuya-sama has no intention of remarrying. Even though you were born out in the slums of Rukongai, you have become quite powerful. If we have children, one may be powerful enough to become the next head of the clan."

"I don't want to." Rukia says instantly, but then the old man's hand clamps around her wrist.

"You don't have a choice, young lady. Either you can submit to my will right now, and have a precious few days of freedom before we marry, or I'll drag you to my room right now and make it official immediately." His words seem to be laced with a binding spell. Rukia can tell that if she utters even a word of disagreement that he'll make good on his threat.

"Okay!" Rukia agrees verbally, and the old man reaches out to touch her cheek in an affectionate manner.

"There is one other thing you must agree to if you want your three days of freedom." He tells her with a twinkle in his eyes, and Rukia dreads what he might say when she asks him.

"What's that?" Rukia asks, with dread in her voice, and the old mad keeps on caressing her cheek, making Rukia want to squirm in disgust.

"You may not talk about our impending nuptials in any other way except to be excited for it, like it's what you want. If anybody comes to me and says you don't look happy to be marrying me, I can promise I'll make you regret it." The elderly Kuchiki man drops his hand from her cheek to her arm where he squeezes her rather roughly.

"Okay!" Rukia yelps out, worried he'll change his mind and drag her into his bedchamber if she shows any more hesitation beyond what she already has.

"Then go tell Byakuya-sama. I asked for him for his permission to take you as my wife, and I want him to know you've answered with a resounding yes." The man says, and Rukia winces.

_I don't even remember this old man's name!_

* * *

"What?" Byakuya has lost his usual expression of indifference, his eyes are wide at what his little sister has just told him.

"I said yes to a proposal…" Rukia trails off, since she can't remember the elder's name.

"You accepted that old fart's proposal? Why? I thought you were in love with Kurosaki…" Byakuya trails off, suddenly suspicious.

_I only gave my blessings because I was sure she'd say no!_

Rukia looks confused. "I thought he'd gained your approval-"

"He did." Byakuya assures her and he looks into her eyes, even though he can find no answers there. She's got her feelings well hidden. "You're actually going to do it?" Byakuya asks her, and Rukia nods her head yes.

"I said I would." She says simply, and Byakuya gives her a look.

"Then go and make your announcement in the living world. I'm sure Kurosaki will be interested to know about this." Byakuya says, turning his back on Rukia, wondering what in the hell is wrong with her.

_How can she marry a half dead old man like him?_

Rukia turns away, a little annoyed that she still doesn't have the elder's name. Byakuya hadn't said it to her, and she sure as hell couldn't ask.

_How am I going to tell Ichigo this?_

* * *

"Elder-dono." Byakuya says as the richly garbed Kuchiki elder steps into the room.

"I trust you've heard the good news? She said yes." The old man says, and Byakuya gives him a sideways look.

"I have heard. I sent her to the living world to tell her friends there too," Byakuya says, and he doesn't miss the flash of concern that shows up on the elder's face.

"My future bride should have gained my approval before leaving to do something like that." The elder says, and Byakuya shoots him an angry look.

"I commanded her to go, and until she marries you, she's still subject to my orders." Byakuya says to the elder, and the man bows.

"Of course, Byakuya-sama."

The elder leaves the room, and Byakuya lets out a sigh.

"I hate having to depend on Kurosaki Ichigo, but I hope he convinces Rukia to change her mind." Byakuya says in a low voice to the picture frame containing the image of his beloved wife.

_

* * *

_

"Ichigo…"

"Rukia! You're back!" Ichigo looks so excited, and a lump forms in Rukia's throat.

_I hate having to tell him this! Can I hide it from him as well as I did with ni-sama? I can't let Ichigo know the truth, otherwise he might do something stupid!_

"I have news." Rukia says carefully, taking a deep breath, and Ichigo's eyes narrow at her tone.

"What news?"

Rukia feels her stomach knot up. "I'm getting married."

"What! You're getting married? I'll kill him!" Ichigo belts out, and Rukia's eyes widen.

"Ichigo, you can't! He's-"

"That bastard, I can't believe he proposed to you, I'm going to rip every red hair off his head!" Ichigo spits out, and Rukia looks confused.

"Red hair? Ichigo, he doesn't have red hair…did you think I was going to marry Renji? I wouldn't! I couldn't! He's like a brother to me!" Rukia says quickly to Ichigo, who looks shocked and confused.

"Who else are you close enough to, that you'd agree to marry them?" Ichigo's tone is a suspicious one, and Rukia feels her cheeks heat up.

"You don't know him." Rukia says quietly, but Ichigo grabs and squeezes her arms so tight that Rukia winces.

Ichigo's voice is demanding. "Who is he Rukia?"

Rukia bows her head, and the sweat starts to bead up along the sides of her face.

"A member of the Kuchiki clan…the…"

Ichigo isn't gentle at all when he takes his right index finger and puts it under her chin to force her head upwards so that he can look directly into her eyes.

"The?" Ichigo asks with a dangerous looking scowl on his face, and Rukia takes a deep breath.

"The elder."

"What?" Ichigo actually shouts, and Rukia winces again.

_Why is he acting so angry?_

"You actually want to marry an _elder_?" Ichigo asks in the same loud voice.

Rukia doesn't know what to say. Of course she doesn't want to, he forced an agreement out of her on the spot, and she doesn't think Ichigo will react well if she tells him so, which is why she wants to keep that part from him, not to mention the elder's threat...

"Answer me Rukia! What kind of joke is this?" Ichigo roars at her. She can feel his hot breath all over her face, he's so close.

Rukia feels her eyes start to water up…and burn.

"No joke. I have to marry him, I agreed to it already." Rukia says simply, and Ichigo's eyes get wider…and angrier, which she hadn't thought was possible.

"That's sick Rukia, you want to marry an old man?" Ichigo asks, looking at her with a bit of disgust, and that's when the tears start to fall.

Ichigo is taken aback. It's been a long time since he's seen Rukia cry, but she is now, and at the moment he's a bit too furious with her to even think about comforting her.

"It's a situation where I had no choice but to accept!" Rukia says, even though she hadn't wanted him to know that.

Ichigo is all over it, instantly.

"What do you mean by that?" He asks, his voice quiet, but there's no mistaking that the anger is still there…and it's significantly stronger than before.

Rukia looks away from him again, and Ichigo is mighty sick of that, but she starts to speak so he doesn't force her to look at him anymore, and he pulls his finger away from her chin.

She's still crying. The tears won't stop rolling down her cheeks, and her words are broken up by her jagged breathing, and jumping emotions.

"He placed me under a binding spell when he asked me. If I said no, he was going to drag me into his bedchamber until I agreed to it. If I said yes, he'd grant me a few days of freedom before taking me as his wife." Rukia admits, and Ichigo's expression is so scary that it's a good thing Rukia is still looking away.

"I'll kill him." Ichigo's words are filled with fury, and Rukia grabs him quickly.

"You can't! He's a kidou master Ichigo, he can even spout a spell strong enough to stop you! He'll do that and punish me!" Rukia spills it all because she knows this is a battle Ichigo cannot win.

"No kidou can hold me." Ichigo says, and Rukia shakes her head no.

"Yes it can!"

All of a sudden, Ichigo hears Rukia chanting under her breath, and moments later she has him in a level sixties spell.

Ichigo knows he can break it, but Rukia proves her point because he can't stop the spell or break it instantly. It would certainly be enough time for the man to do something to Rukia if Ichigo ended up under a spell similar to this if he challenges the elder.

"I can break this." Ichigo tells her, and Rukia crosses her arms.

"He can pull off spells far more powerful than this one, and you're still not free of this one. This is a fight you cannot win!" Rukia says, but it's only a few more seconds before Ichigo busts her spell.

"Come with me." Ichigo yanks on Rukia's arm.

He drags her out of his bedroom and downstairs where his father is laughing at Don Kanonji on the television. Rukia gives Ichigo a questioning look as Ichigo grabs the remote up and turns off the television.

"Dad, we need to talk."

* * *

Rukia cannot believe her ears. Between Ichigo and his father, they only came up with embarrassing and mortifying ways to get her out of the marriage she agreed to.

"They won't believe you if you take her virginity Ichigo, she could have lost it without ever having had sex. In order for that to work, you'd have to have several believable witnesses."

"No!" Rukia shouts, and Ichigo looks thankful.

"What if we just keep her here?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia blushes.

_That sounds nice…_

"He'd come for her Ichigo. I could help you out, I know some kidou myself." Isshin says, and Rukia rolls her eyes.

"He could kidou both of you up the moment he sees you!" Rukia objects, and Ichigo squirms at the thought of being bound while Rukia's dragged off to marry the fossil.

"Have more faith in us that that, Rukia-chan!" Isshin says, but Ichigo shakes his head at his dad.

"I trust Rukia's intuition on this one. I can think of only one solution then." Ichigo says, and Rukia blinks at him.

"What's that?" She asks suspiciously, since she hasn't really liked any of their ideas thus far, and Ichigo gives her a weird look of uncertainty, one she's never seen out of him before.

"I'll just have to marry you before he can." Ichigo says, and Isshin jumps up to his feet to begin dancing in elation at his son's idea, which he believes to be most perfect.

"This is what I've always dreamed for!" Isshin makes Rukia and Ichigo blush with his dance of joy, and Ichigo elbows his dad in the side, stopping his dance instantly.

"Will you do it Rukia? Will you marry me?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia's breathing becomes more quick, and she feels her entire body tense up at such an awesome question coming from Ichigo's lips.

Isshin attempts to throw his voice. "Yes!" He says in a high pitched voice, hoping Ichigo will fall for his ruse, but all that does is serve to cut the tension in the room. Rukia laughs, and Ichigo snorts.

"I guess so…" Those are all the words Rukia gets out, and Isshin yanks on her arm with one hand, and onto his son's arm with the other.

"We must see Urahara! He'll know how to get the two of you married in no time at all!"

Rukia shakes her head. She can hardly believe this is happening.

Out on the Kurosaki's front porch, Byakuya leaps up onto the roof before his sister and her future husband are dragged out by his future brother-in-law's father.

"Thank goodness that's taken care of. I guess I'll visit the elder." Byakuya begins to glow when he remembers hearing Ichigo recount exactly why Rukia had agreed to marry the sly old man.

_He won't be the elder much longer, I'll kill him myself._

* * *

As much as Byakuya wants to kill the man, he's prevented from doing so by the vote of the Kuchiki clan. Rukia's agreement to marry him though was nullified, and Byakuya wasn't exactly gentle when he'd dragged the man into the room to have his fate decided.

"Rukia is saved from you anyways. She is currently getting married to Kurosaki Ichigo." Byakuya announces, and the entire clan gasps at that news, and then they all begin to chatter amongst themselves.

Byakuya turns to leave the room. He already knows the marriage will be accepted. Kurosaki Ichigo's power has been heard of all across Soul Society. Another bragging right that honors the Kuchiki clan.

_And to think none of them wanted her here when I first presented the idea. Now they'll claim her proudly._

"I guess I should get to the real world if I want to give my sister away." Byakuya says to nobody in particular, and he goes into shunpo mode.

* * *

Rukia can't believe Isshin has a dress for her. He'd run back home to get it, but apparently he'd had the alterations made shortly after the first time Ichigo actually introduced her to the family. He'd simply known.

"Tessai can do the ceremony. His qualifications are undeniable." Urahara is telling Ichigo and Rukia, as they fidget from being nervous.

"I'll be happy to witness the event." Yoruichi says, and today she's not in cat form. Jinta and Ururu also step forward.

"Us too!"

"I'm sure dad will come back with Karin and Yuzu too." Ichigo says, knowing his father well.

"Ichigo…why are you doing this?" Rukia asks quietly, and Ichigo looks at her with surprise.

"Rukia! You should already know, I'm always going to save you. I want to save you, even if it means marrying you. I always want to save you…and protect you. Marrying you makes sense when I think of how important you are to me." Ichigo says, and for the second time in a few short hours, Rukia cries again.

"Are you saying you love me?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo blushes, but nods his head fervently.

"I will forever." Ichigo promises, and Rukia nods her head, even though she can't stop her tears of happiness.

_This wonderful feeling…it must be because I'm marrying the right man…_

Byakuya shows up in time, surprising everyone twice as much by knowing what was going on, and by having Ukitake and Renji along with him. The gathering is a bit bigger than Ichigo and Rukia originally believed. Not only did Isshin come back with Karin and Yuzu, he got Tatsuki, Sado, Mizuiro, Keigo, Ishida, and Inoue to come back with him too.

"As soon as Kuchiki-san changes, we'll be ready to start." Tessai says, holding a large book, and Rukia smiles at the group.

"I won't be long."

Rukia heads into the bathroom, feeling suddenly grateful for the elder's threat of marriage.

_Ichigo sure didn't hold back, he let me know all of how he felt the moment he thought I might be out of his reach. He loves me as much as I love him!_

The actual nuptials are a blur, but the moment Ichigo and Rukia are supposed to kiss, they both start blushing furiously.

Everyone else is visibly amused by the pair, but then everyone holds their breath when Ichigo lowers his head to kiss Rukia, his wife.

Urahara and Yoruichi exchange a meaningful look, and Jinta looks over at Yuzu. The love between Ichigo and Rukia affects every single person in the room.

Isshin starts to cry and blather on about how Masaki would be so proud, and their friends all look happy for them.

"How incredibly romantic…" Inoue breathes, as the couple pulls away from one another staring into each other's eyes.

"I can't believe we're married," Rukia breathes, and Isshin suddenly stops crying.

"Believe it! And now get to work on becoming parents!" Isshin orders them, and this time the newly married couple are both bright red.

Rukia buries her face into Ichigo's chest, and Ichigo blinks wide eyed at his father, since his mind hadn't even been remotely on children, but now his mind is on the activity that will certainly get you kids if you're not careful enough.

"Shut up dad!" Ichigo hisses out, and everyone laughs, including Rukia into his chest.

_I'm actually truly happy! To be married to Ichigo…truly happy indeed!_


	15. Dedication: The Aging Effect

**A/N-This one is dedicated to a special friend, who has recently inspired me. I'm pushing it in front of other stories, because I feel like it, since this person brought me some inspiration, I hope you like it! Talk to you later!**

_The Aging Effect_

Rukia is completely frantic. Having to stay in Hueco Mundo, waiting to get out, all took longer than she had originally expected or anticipated. She's trying hard to hide her anxiety from Byakuya, but she's been unsuccessful. He knows why she's concerned, and who her eyes will be looking for once they leave the dark pathway that will lead them all out of Hueco Mundo.

"Nemu! You idiot! Hurry up!" Mayuri's voice penetrates Rukia's thoughts, and she lets out a sound that shows her disgust.

Nemu is pulling a cart filled with Mayuri's treasures, but instead of looking angry by her father's orders, she does her best to speed up.

"My deepest apologies, Mayuri-sama!" Nemu puffs out, and Rukia gives her brother a glance, but he doesn't even seem to notice what's going on around him, his eyes are focused straight ahead.

Kenpachi and Yachiru impervious to what's going on as well. Isane looks disgusted, and Hanatarou is just looking at Rukia with concern, he can tell who has her so worried, who her mind is on.

_Ichigo-san..._

Rukia is about to turn around and assist Nemu, but Sado and Ishida beat her to the task. Ishida's cheeks are red for some unknown reason, but the two guys make Nemu's job a hell of a lot easier, and Nemu gives them a grateful nod. Rukia's focus switches to the exit of the tunnel, that will lead them (hopefully) to the fake Karakura Town where Ichigo should be fighting Aizen.

_Don't die Ichigo…please, don't die!_

* * *

Ichigo breathes very hard. He's defeated Aizen, but it took all of his strength to do it and he's more sapped of power than his father was when he carried him into the real Karakura Town in Soul Society. He feels himself pitch forward and he has one last thought before it's lights out for him.

_The last time I felt like this…Rukia caught me._

* * *

_Ichigo! Where are you? Are you okay? Please be alive, please!_

Rukia's eyes scan the battlefield, and the bodies littered on the ground, but she doesn't see Ichigo's signature orange hair anywhere.

"Where's Ichigo?" Rukia yells frantically, and everybody looks around with confusion. Unohana is the only one who speaks up.

"Aizen has escaped to the real Karakura Town. Ichigo and his father followed after him."

Rukia's sword is out so fast, it shocks everyone who witnesses it.

"Unlock!" Rukia calls out, and she opens the gate to head to Soul Society. She's ready to go for it, but her brother grabs her arm.

"Rukia."

"What ni-sama?" Rukia asks impatiently, and Byakuya appears to change his mind about what he was originally say, but Rukia really can't tell for sure.

"I'll come with you."

Rukia just nods her head and dashes through the entrance way to get to Soul Society with Byakuya on her heels. Inoue stares after them, knowing she can't follow, but knowing she wants to.

"Kurosaki-kun…"

"Your help is needed here, Inoue." Ishida says gently, and Sado quickly agrees.

"It looks like some of these Shinigami can only be saved by you." Sado knows that much is true when he sees Soi Fong with only one arm.

Inoue lets out a sigh. She can't walk away from these hurting people, nor does she have the means to.

_Please let Kurosaki-kun be safe!_

* * *

"What do you suppose happened to Ichigo?" Tatsuki asks Keigo and Mizuiro nervously, and Keigo grins at her while Chizuru looks amused.

"Sometimes I wonder if you have a thing for him-oomph!" Keigo cries out because Tatsuki punches him in the gut.

"Don't even say something so stupid!"

"I'm sure Ichigo is fine." Mizuiro's calm tone makes Tatsuki give him a suspicious look.

"What would you know about it?"

"More than you might think." Mizuiro says mysteriously, and he's also cleverly out of Tatsuki's punching or kicking range.

Tatsuki is glaring daggers at the boys she's forced to remain in the company of, when Rukia suddenly appears in front of them with an obviously powerful man behind her.

"Where's Ichigo? I can't sense him at all!" Rukia asks frantically, and Tatsuki averts her eyes.

_So she calls him Ichigo, eh? They must be real close…_

Rukia gasps when she notices Isshin on the ground, since it doesn't make sense at all, but then she's quickly distracted.

"He and that freaky looking butterfly guy went that way." Mizuiro says calmly, as though none of this surprises him, but Rukia doesn't bother to think about that, instead she just flashes in the direction she'd just been pointed.

_Butterfly guy? What on earth happened here? When did that filth Aizen turn into a butterfly?_

She doesn't even realize Byakuya didn't follow, because he wasn't able to be distracted from the man on the ground. In fact he's blind to everything but Isshin. Kanonji has remained quiet for once, just taking it all in.

"The way he's dressed…" Byakuya says quietly, as his eyes get wider.

_Is that the King of Soul Society? He's definitely from the Royal Dimension!_

* * *

Rukia's eyes scan the landscape, and she searches for Ichigo, looking for his orange hair or presence.

_How far did Ichigo take Aizen anyways?_

Rukia feels like her heart is beating quadruple time, but she doesn't allow herself to think about the meaning of that.

"Ichigo!" Rukia's voice echoes back at her, with no response from the man she's actually trying to find.

"Where are you idiot?" Rukia yells again, but once again she's greeted with nothing but the sound of her own echoes.

_I have to find him quick! Is he dead? Is that why I can't feel his reiatsu?_

Then she sees him, she's shocked he landed as far away as he did, and the first thing she notices is that his hair is in a similar style to the way Kaien used to wear his hair. She can't comprehend why his hair would have grown out so much in the short time that they've been apart, and then she sees Aizen's body, maimed many meters away from where Ichigo lays.

She instantly understands why Aizen had been referred to as a butterfly man, since she can see the shredded wings on the ground near his body.

She shivers at the creepiness of it all, and then moves quickly over to where Ichigo lays.

"Inoue isn't here, so I'm going to heal you this time." Rukia whispers, and she gets to work, getting Ichigo's body back to normal.

* * *

Ichigo cracks his eyes open, and it's dark in Soul Society, but his head is resting on something that feels comfortable and soft.

_I know this smell…it's Rukia!_

He opens his eyes a little wider and sees the woman he already knows is there. He's surprised that she's dozed off, with one hand on his cheek and the other resting in his hair. Her head is drooped forward like she dozed off unintentionally.

"Rukia." Ichigo says softly, and he reaches up a hand to gently caress her cheek.

_So soft…_

Rukia flinches when she feels something on her face, and she pulls her hand out of Ichigo's hair to brush away whatever is touching her, but when she puts her hand on it, she feels another hand, so she opens her eyes fully.

"Ichigo!" Rukia breathes out, and he looks up at her with an unreadable expression.

All she gets out of him in response for a full minute, is his hand sliding over her cheek…and then his thumb moves over her lips, and Rukia holds her breath, surprised by his obvious show of affection, but her expression doesn't stop him from continuing to explore her face with his hands, like a blind man might do to feel what a person looks like.

"What happened to you exactly?" Rukia asks, even though she has a sense, because healing him had given her some insight as to how his mind was working.

"Rukia…" Ichigo trails off, because he knows there are things he has to tell her, things she doesn't know but should…

"I've been so worried about you, idiot!" Rukia busts out, and it's Ichigo's turn to looks surprised for a second, but then a slight smile appears on his face, like he's happy she worried about him.

_No matter what Aizen said, he can't manufacture feelings…he didn't make us feel this way about each other, and I refuse to accept that me meeting Rukia was simply a part of his psycho plot to become king._

"I was worried about you too." Ichigo says candidly, and Rukia inhales quickly.

_What are we saying? What is happening?_

Ichigo sitting straight up all suddenly ruins the moment that Rukia thought might grow even deeper, and then he stands up, which makes her realize he's even gotten taller since she last saw him.

_What has happened?_

"Ichigo?" Rukia asks with uncertainty, and Ichigo finally pins her with one of the most intense expressions she's ever seen out of him, and she's seen a lot.

He's unpredictable today though, and instead of flying off towards his friends, or saying anything to her face, he grabs her by her shoulders, and draws her forward in his arms.

_I've been waiting for our real reunion…why do I have to ruin it with such bad news? But it's better for her to hear it from me than to hear it from someone else…_

"Rukia, we need to talk." Ichigo says in a deadly serious tone, hugging her even tighter, and she doesn't even know what to say to that.

"Huh?" Rukia asks, but then he squeezes her even tighter, and she's not sure he's even aware at how much pressure he's actually putting into it, because he's squeezing her so tight, she's having a difficult time breathing.

"Aizen told me something-" Ichigo is immediately cut off, and Rukia pulls away from him to look him in the eyes.

"Why does it matter what he said? I already saw him mutilated over there." Rukia says, pointing in the direction of Aizen's fallen body, and Ichigo shakes his head.

"It matters that I tell you regardless of whether he's alive or dead. Because it involves you…me…us." Ichigo admits and Rukia's eyes widen.

_He just keeps surprising me over and over!_

"What are you talking about?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo sighs, looking more tired than ever.

"He said that he orchestrated our meeting. He said he knew about me since my birth, and that he was the one who was responsible for it all." Ichigo says quietly, but Rukia just regards him with a blank expression.

It takes a long moment for her to respond to him. "Why does that matter, Ichigo?"

His intense eyes soften on the dime, and he gives her a small smile that hides the true elation of what he's just heard out of her lips.

_While he may have orchestrated the meeting, which I can't know because he was such a liar, he couldn't have possibly made either of us have such strong feelings for each other._

"I'm relieved." Ichigo tells her, but then he shocks her once more by yanking her back into his arms, and he leans his head down to rest on her own. Rukia freezes, just feeling his arms envelope her, and bring her warmth all over.

"I'm just glad that it's all finally over," Rukia says quietly into his chest, and Ichigo's hand reaches to stroke her hair.

"Somehow I don't think it's all over. I just keep expecting his body to regenerate back into once piece, and then be right back at square one." Ichigo admits, because he saw the guy come back from death so many times.

"He couldn't compete with how many lives you have," Rukia says softly, and Ichigo closes his eyes, enjoying the feel of her small body in his arms, loving the smell of her hair…not wanting to let her go for even a second.

_It feels like it's been so long since I've seen or heard her voice before I woke up…for me it's been a long time, but for her it's only been…_

Ichigo suddenly realizes Rukia has no clue what he's been through to meet Aizen, or how long it's been his time since he's seen her.

"I know it must seem weird that I'm acting like I haven't seen you in awhile," Ichigo suddenly says, making Rukia's eyes pop wide open since it's a sudden change in pace from where the conversation seemed to be heading a moment ago.

"Huh?" Rukia feels like her head is spinning…

"For me it's been months Rukia. Because I spent three months training inside of The Precipice World. My father slowed down time for us, and I trained for what was three months, before I came and defeated Aizen, but for you it's not been that long since we've seen each other." Ichigo explains, and Rukia shuts her eyes.

_It felt that long for me…even in Soul Society I could watch you whenever I wanted…idiot._

"Really?" Rukia asks in a soft voice, and Ichigo nods murmurs back at her.

"Yeah…so it feels like it's been awhile…it's the longest we've been apart since we met…at least for me." Ichigo says, but remembering how he was before his training, he's glad Rukia wasn't with him for the start of his confrontation with Aizen.

_That fucking bastard would have probably gone after her if she'd been there…I wouldn't expect any less of a piece of shit like him!_

"You worked hard." Rukia utters, and Ichigo is glad she's allowing him to hold her.

"I told you that to tell you this. Can we just stay like this? Until someone else comes here." Ichigo says quietly, and Rukia feels her face heat up, but she puts her arms around Ichigo's muscular body and hugs him back.

"Sure."

* * *

"Ah! I can't believe I went down so easily!" Urahara sings, and Yoruichi gives him a glare, since she'd been over him, worried sick.

"You were playing dead?" Her voice is a quiet growl, and his eyes widen, just before she rears her hand back and then slaps him with all of her strength.

"Yoruichi-san-"

"Shut up Kisuke! You'd better have a damn good explanation for all of this, or I'll kill you myself!" Her anger is not to be taken lightly, since he knows where her roots lie.

She is the princess of the Shihouin Clan, the Sacred Armorers. It's a personal affront to her as his close friend since childhood that he would fake being injured, and not go to attack Aizen.

"I've already taken care of Aizen. Kurosaki Ichigo should have it taken care of by now, since his father went with him. Everything went according to my plan, since I planned for the worst possible outcome." Kisuke tells her, and Yoruichi doesn't look satisfied.

"What if your plan failed as badly as the special armor you made for me specifically for this battle?" Yoruichi demands, and Urahara ducks his head.

"It didn't fail. I carefully monitored everything. There is no way that my first inferior hougyoku could ever compete with the one I made for Kurosaki-san. Let us go to Soul Society, and I'll prove it to you." Urahara says, and Yoruichi grabs him by the throat.

"If your calculations were wrong…if Aizen has made the key, and Ichigo failed, I'll kill you myself, since you didn't get up off your ass to go and assist them sooner!" Yoruichi growls, and Urahara holds his hands up.

She loosens her hold enough to allow him to speak.

"Please try to stay calm…Aizen was smart, but he wanted too much. He pushed his luck too many times, and got way too careless. If my plan failed, I'll happily let you kill me." His assurance makes her release him, but she still looks annoyed.

"Come on, Kisuke. I won't be able to rest until I know for sure." Yoruichi says, and Urahara laughs nervously.

"Maybe you've forgotten, Yoruichi-san, but I can't enter Soul Society. You're the only one who can go." His nervous laughter doesn't stop, and he is so focused on Yoruichi that he doesn't notice Hachi is completely healed, thanks to Inoue, and creeping up behind him.

"I'm sorry, Urahara-san."

A large barrier suddenly appears, but its boundary leaves Yoruichi from being caught up in it, and only Urahara is inside, with Soi Fong popping out from behind Hachi's large body.

"Rest assured Yoruichi-sama, that if his plan did fail, he'll still be here when we get back for you to kill him." Soi Fong says, while casting a look of death over to Kisuke.

"I'll be joining you, in case anybody in Soul Society was seriously wounded but not killed by Aizen going there. With that Inoue Orihime here, I don't need to remain. Hanatarou, Isane, come with me." Unohana says suddenly, and Yoruichi looks grateful as Hanatarou and Isane rush to stand directly behind Unohana in an obedient and submissive manner.

"That will be a great help. Come on!" Yoruichi turns her head to pin Urahara with one of her serious stares. "I'll deal with you later, Kisuke!" Yoruichi's voice shows she's still angry, and Urahara drops to the ground.

"What did I do to deserve this?"

* * *

Rukia feels the air hit her shoulders, and that's when she realizes, Ichigo's hands have loosened her robes, and the top part could fall down to where it ties at any moment. The moment comes the moment she thinks of it, because Ichigo's hand makes it happen.

"What are you doing?" Rukia whispers, and Ichigo can't sense anybody around, or anybody approaching.

"Rukia…" Ichigo's voice sounds like he's aching, and Rukia really isn't sure what's come over him, or her…but she likes the feelings he's giving her, so she doesn't ask him to stop or try to get away from him.

She makes a fast decision, and lets the words slide out of her mouth before she can change her mind.

"If there's anything I can give you, to ease your stress, then it's yours." Rukia's words have a startling effect, because Ichigo moves at the speed of light. He yanks on the tie that holds her robes together and then yanks on his own, disrobing both of them in five seconds flat.

"Our souls are linked together…and now that I am alone with you…and Aizen appears dead, I just want to live again…with you." Ichigo admits, since he hated the separations he's had to endure when it comes to her.

Rukia feels her throat get dry, particularly when his arms go around her once more, and she can feel everything so clearly.

_Maybe we've both lost our minds a little…_

She knows she shouldn't, but she can't say no to him. Not with all he's been through, all she's been through, and how close they've come to dying.

"Okay." Rukia agrees, not realizing precisely what she's just agreed to beyond the physical realm of things.

"Okay." Ichigo says, sealing the deal, before he leans down to meet her sweet lips with his own.

Rukia surrenders, to the mature and intense Ichigo before her. She can do nothing else.

* * *

"What happened here?" Yoruichi demands when she comes upon Ichigo's friends, Zennosuki, Kanonji, Rangiku, and Gin.

"Captain Unohana! Please save Gin! He seems like he might already be dead…" Rangiku busts out, and Unohana raises an eyebrow, but she also unsheathes her sword.

"I will heal him, but if he so much as makes one move to strike anybody here, I'll also end his life myself." Unohana warns, and Rangiku feels the hair on the back of her neck go up.

She quickly backs away from Gin, and lets Unohana in.

"I can't sense Ichigo." Yoruichi suddenly says, and everybody looks in the direction they sent Rukia earlier.

"It's that way." Rangiku says, pointing, and Yoruichi nods.

"Go with them Hanatarou, just in case you're needed." Unohana says, and Hanatarou nods his head.

"Yes Ma'am!"

* * *

"Damn it." Ichigo mutters, and Rukia understands why the moment he says it.

They've barely had a moment to cuddle after making love, and they can feel several familiar reiatsu patterns that have suddenly entered Soul Society.

"We probably don't have long." Rukia says a bit urgently, and Ichigo shakes his head, holding her tighter, for just a moment longer, not wanting to let her go.

"Damn it!" Ichigo says with a bit more frustration, and Rukia starts to struggle.

"I don't want to get caught like this! We took enough of a risk as it is! Ni-sama could have made it here pretty quickly!" Rukia tells him, as she continues to try and get out of his grasp, but Ichigo leans down to kiss her once more.

"Fine Rukia."

He gets off of her, and looks horrified to see blood on the inner part of her robes, from where she'd been laying on them.

_I made her bleed…_

* * *

"Haven't any of you noticed over here?" Byakuya asks with annoyance as Yoruichi is about to leave, holding up her departure, and Yoruichi sees Isshin with a beard, completely drained on the ground.

"I can handle this, Gin is seriously wounded. All this guy needs is to restore his reiatsu. I'll give him half of mine, and you give him half of yours. That should be enough to at least get him up." Yoruichi says, and Soi Fong steps forward.

"I'll give half of mine too."

Hanatarou quickly jumps in front of them all, shaking his head at them frantically.

"That's not necessary, Vice Captain and I can restore it with healing techniques!"

"What are you? An idiot? Of course he'll need more reiatsu than what you can restore, we're looking at the King of Soul Society here! Show some respect!" Yoruichi yells loudly in Hanatarou's face, and he puts his hands up, turning his head to the side and backing away, looking scared as hell.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't know!" Hanatarou yelps out, and Isane puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I can donate some of my reiatsu too." Isane volunteers, and in a group effort, they all work to revive the fallen Isshin.

* * *

Rukia feels antsy. She's sure that someone should have already come to see them by now, and Ichigo's arm around her with his fingers touching her arm continues to distract her from her thoughts every ten or so seconds.

_It sure is uncomfortable after having sex for the first time…_

Rukia's discomfort is not unnoticed by Ichigo, who feels a wave of guilt at what he did to her.

_It couldn't be avoided, I'm sorry…_

Finally, after what feels like a long wait since they rushed to get presentable again, they feel the group getting closer. They take a giant step apart from each other, so they aren't obvious about the activities that they just partook in together. Ichigo is relieved to see his father is up and appearing well again too, but his father is staring at him like he's all too knowing.

"You have the eyes of a true man, son." Isshin says with a pointed gaze towards Rukia, which causes the pair to blush, and Isshin looks rather triumphant.

"Shut up…" Ichigo growls, but his father just smiles a bit wider and it's enough to make Ichigo squirm under his stare.

"That Urahara Kisuke is one sly dog. I can't believe he was able to predict it down to even this." Isshin says with a smile, and Ichigo's eyes widen, then quickly harden.

"Listen! I'm sick of everybody acting like they pull the strings on my life!" Ichigo bellows out, and Isshin raises an eyebrow.

"You used the technique, didn't you? To defeat Aizen?" Isshin asks, and Ichigo snorts.

"What the hell kind of question is that? Of course I did! Wasn't that the point of our training?" Ichigo shouts at his father, and Isshin gets a look on his face, a mixture between happiness and sadness.

"That technique son…the reason our zanpakutou won't want to teach it to us, do you already know?" Isshin asks, but his son has a blank look on his face, so Isshin sighs. "Thought so."

"What are you talking about old man, what does this all mean?" Ichigo asks, and Isshin takes a deep breath before going into an explanation meant to give Ichigo an awareness he'd previously been oblivious of.

"That technique shaves years off your life from where you are at now, by aging you. One hundred to five hundred depending on how much power you used…I'm guessing from the looks of you that you only used one to three hundred though." Isshin says, and Ichigo's eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"What?"

"This means you won't be able to return to your body. It won't hold up to the age difference." Isshin informs his son, and Ichigo's jaw drops to the ground.

"You mean…I'm older than her now?" Ichigo asks pointing a finger at Rukia and Isshin nods his head yes.

"Because of the way the technique works, yes."

"Nice Pops. You send me in to do it for you? Afraid you were going to die or something?" Ichigo demands, and Isshin shakes his head.

"That was my original plan. You needed to understand your strength in order for things to proceed properly. See, you are not an ordinary Shinigami." Isshin says, pushing his finger into Ichigo's chest, making Ichigo get annoyed very quickly.

"Get to the point!"

"Has Rukia-chan explained any of the customs of royalty to you?" Isshin asks, but his son is still looking ignorant as hell, and Rukia looks away.

"No." Ichigo says mutinously, and Isshin puts a hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"Generally, in royalty, there are arranged marriages. If two nobles consummate without marriage, they must immediately marry. No exceptions." Isshin says, deciding not to tell Ichigo he'd planned to marry him off to Rukia-chan no matter what Ichigo did or did not do with her.

The way everyone is staring at them, makes it impossible for either or them to speak up and deny what's just taken place, nor does Ichigo have the one critical piece of information he needs in order to see the obvious of what's coming next.

"And?" Ichigo asks, so Isshin lays it on him.

"And you're royalty. She's a noble. No exceptions." Isshin says pointedly, and then Ichigo blushes fiercely. He's not alone, Rukia at his side is in much the same condition.

He wants to ask how he's royalty, but he doesn't want to insult Rukia by doing so, and making it seem like he's unwilling to marry her, so he figures he'll save that question for private with his father later.

_What a fucking day!_

* * *

"Remove this barrier at once!" The Captain Commander's voice is not to be argued with. Hachi releases it.

"Thank goodness!" Kisuke breathes, and the Captain Commander looks him in the eyes.

"You will be returning to Soul Society with this replica of land that we switched for the real Karakura Town." Even his words carry power, something Urahara had forgotten in the past century, so he simply agrees.

"Yes sir."

"We'll sort everything out once there. You allies of Kurosaki Ichigo…will also come back with us." The Captain Commander says to the Vaizards, and everyone just looks around, not wanting to argue, not with him.

"What if Karakura Town is gone?" Ishida suddenly speaks up, and everyone just glares at him.

"We have constant contact with our hell butterflies, no harm has come to the real Karakura Town." The Captain Commander bellows, and Ishida quickly backs up.

"As soon as Inoue-san finishes up, you should all go to he edge of town, and wait for the real world to appear. I'm not sure when it will be, but your place is in the living world." Kisuke tells Ishida, who quickly nods and recoils at the idea having to stop living.

"I understand." Ishida says, and Kisuke nods.

* * *

Gin can hardly believe death still hasn't befallen him, and that the pain he was feeling a moment ago is suddenly easing. He opens his eyes and sees Unohana. He flinches and his eyes widen at the sight of her.

"Gin!" Rangiku leaps at him, and Unohana backs up.

"Gee…I feel like I'm in a real pickle here now…not only did I not avenge you, I abandoned you in my attempt to do it, and I couldn't even die with a bit of honor." Gin says sheepishly, and Rangiku pulls away from him angrily.

"I don't want you dead!"

Gin's eyes open fully, and then he smiles.

"Have it your way this time…"

The kids are looking off in the direction everybody disappeared to, with Tatsuki wishing she had the ability to move like them and check on her best friend's love interest.

* * *

Even for Ichigo, everything is moving super fast. His sisters were woken and brought to the Kuchiki manor, along with all of his friends who had seen Aizen, not to mention Don Kanonji being there as well. Ichigo's in a fancy kimono, the likes of which he's never been dressed in before. They're definitely wedding ceremonial clothes, fit for royalty. He hasn't had time to ask his father about the whole royalty thing, because even though he doesn't understand it, he knows it must be true.

His father had taken the selfish route, prolonging the switching of the real and fake Karakura Town until Ichigo's friends and sisters could be taken back to the real Karakura Town before the switch. He doesn't care that the Captain Commander and many of the Shinigami are waiting for the switch of the towns to arrive back, but he figures they can unlock the gate if they're impatient. That in itself was enough to tell Ichigo just how important a man his father actually is, and by birth himself too.

Rukia is walking towards him in a gorgeous white kimono, with white flowers laced all throughout her hair, looking every inch a queen.

_I can't believe I'm marrying her…_

He is clumsy with the whole entire ceremony since he's never seen a wedding like this, and there was no rehearsal. Even so, he gets through it well enough, because it's simple, short, and Rukia is so gorgeous he has a hard time taking his eyes off of her.

_Life is going to change drastically…for one thing, Rukia won't sleep in a closet anymore, and I'm not in the world of the living anymore…_

Ichigo's mind runs a mile a minute, since he's unsure about everything as of the moment, including where he and Rukia will be living, and what his position will be in Soul Society…and how he's going to be a fitting husband that his wife will never want to leave.

His father's sudden shout of excitement yanks Ichigo from his thoughts, and he realizes he's married.

"Kiss her! Bed her! Impregnate her! NOW!" Isshin roars, and Ichigo wants to fall through the floor, while all of his friends get a good chuckle out of Isshin's blunt way of ordering his son around.

"Where?" Ichigo asks, completely serious, which gets a few heads turning his way, and even Isshin looks stumped for just a moment.

"Rukia-chan has a room here doesn't she? Go consummate this marriage again in her room while we set up for the celebration!" Isshin says, and Rukia's face turns white.

_I'm not ready to do it again yet!_

Rukia is whisked up off her feet, in Ichigo's arms, and he immediately heads for Byakuya's wing, not realizing where he's supposed to go.

"Ichigo! My room is that way!" Rukia whispers, and Ichigo immediately switches directions. She doesn't know how to tell him she's not ready yet, so she bites her lip.

She soon learns how considerate her new husband is, since he seems aware she's not ready once they're in his room, and he gives her a desperate look.

"Please tell me your room has a bathroom and bath attached…" Ichigo asks with pleading eyes, and Rukia nods yes.

"That door there." Rukia points, and Ichigo heads for it.

Rukia is confused, since she was sure he bathed before the ceremony like she did, but she soon finds that the bath isn't for him, it's for her to relax in, and there are bubbles covering every inch of the water surface. Her husband seems like he doesn't want to leave the room, and so Rukia sighs, allowing him to watch her disrobe in order to enter the tub. He crosses his arms with a pained expression on his face, but he keeps still.

"Rukia…I'm going to do everything I can to be a good husband to you."

"That's good." Rukia says, and Ichigo takes a deep breath before continuing and she puts one foot in the tub. Then the other.

"And I'll tell you everything about myself, no secrets, once I find out the rest of the details myself." Ichigo adds, remembering what she'd said to him just before they'd first seen the Grande Fisher. He watches her lower herself into the water.

"You should have opened up more before anyways." Rukia chides him, and Ichigo frowns.

"It's hard for me to do that!" He replies, wishing he had the ability to open up more to her.

"I've been waiting a long time." Rukia tells him, and Ichigo bows his head.

"I know. I'm sorry…but I did confide in you more than others." Ichigo says quietly, and Rukia sighs at the warmth of the bath her husband prepared for her, to show her how serious he was about his commitment.

"I understand how hard it is to open up…but once it's done it's much better. I know from experience I can tell you." Rukia sounds sure of herself, and Ichigo nods his head.

_She's probably right…she's usually right…and now that she's my wife, she'll probably always be right._

**A/N- To the person this is dedicated to, you know who you are, I hope you enjoyed, and thanks for the inspiration!**


	16. About Ichigo

**A/N-This may be different in a way, or maybe not…after all it IS an IchiRuki! A special thanks to the one who helped me decide where this was going! Please Enjoy!**

_About Ichigo…_

"Rukia, can I ask you something?" Renji says quietly, and Rukia gives him a quick glance before giving him the go ahead.

"You can ask anything you want. Doesn't mean I'll answer."

"It's about Ichigo…" Renji trails off, surprised that he finds it hard to actually ask.

_What am I afraid of? Rukia is my family!_

"What about him?" Rukia asks, as Ichigo's face floats through her mind.

Renji looks at her. She's so different from what she used to be when they were children, yet she looks so much the same, but taller. Her sword has gotten longer too, a lot longer since back in the day. She has definitely matured.

"How do you feel about him?" Renji asks, and he doesn't miss the intense look that crosses over her face for a millisecond before it's covered up with a nonchalant face instead.

"He's important to me." That's all she'll say. Her pace starts to quicken, and she hopes he doesn't ask anymore questions.

Renji can tell she's not going to say anything more on the matter so he lets it drop, but Rukia's mind is on the man that had just been in question. He stays where he's at, watching her walk away, deep in thought.

_If I say something, I could lose him. I could just make things so uncomfortable that he doesn't want to be around me. I have to put it out of my mind, put him out of my mind. It's next to impossible, but I have to find a way to distract myself! _

_I always feel the tingling urge to return to the real world because of Ichigo…and I have to back off. I have to distance myself. We live in two different worlds, even if he does have a foot in mine. It would never work. It would end badly, and then I'd lose him altogether. That's the last thing I'd want!_

So she keeps her feelings inside, bottled up, hidden, for nobody other than herself to know about.

_I've been doing it so long now, it's become like second nature to me. I can ignore the constant lump in my throat. I can do this, one day at a time._

"Kuchiki!" Rangiku's voice cuts into her thoughts, and Rukia is rescued temporarily from thinking about the orange haired man of her dreams.

"Rangiku-san!" Rukia replies, surprised that Rangiku looks so animated to see her.

The large breasted woman trots over to her, and then throws her arm around Rukia's shoulders.

"Come out with me!"

Rukia knows it's a bad idea, but she could really use this distraction…so she agrees.

"Sure. Where do you want to go?" Rukia asks as the tenth division lieutenant pulls her along.

"There's a really hot guy at this bar in Rukongai, come with me so I can drool over him!" Rangiku gushes, and Rukia laughs at that.

"Alright."

* * *

"How many drinks have I had?" Rukia asks, realizing that the room is wobbly when she looks around.

"You've hardly even gotten started." Rangiku says, sliding the several empty bottles of sake behind her back.

"I'm pretty drunk already though." Rukia says, but Rangiku is already holding up her hand.

"More over here please!" The cute guy she'd been hoping to see is the one taking care of them, which means they're pounding the bottles at her insistence just so she can order some more.

"Another bottle?" Rukia asks, and the curvy Shinigami smiles at her.

"And another, and another after that." Rangiku says with a wink, and Rukia finds herself smiling at the other woman's go getter attitude.

"That's funny," Rukia says, grinning at the excitement of her companion.

The waiter arrives back with the requested bottle, and Rangiku gives him her best smile.

"Thank you! Come check on us again soon, okay?" Rangiku is practically purring, and leaning forward so that her cleavage has maximum effect.

"Of course, nee-san." The man says, and Rangiku lets out a sigh the moment he's out of sight.

Rukia watches as Rangiku fills their saucers to the brim, but Rukia just stares at her, not intending to drink anymore.

"So what's the deal between you and Ichigo?" Rangiku asks, and Rukia's hand reflexively reaches for the saucer she didn't think she'd drink.

"What do you mean?" Rukia asks, sipping away, wondering why this is the second time she has to deal with this type of questioning today.

"It seems like you two are an item. It's like you only see each other. That's the best way I can describe it."

"I see you just fine." Rukia argues, as Rangiku finishes her full saucer in one smooth gulp.

"That's not what I meant. I meant that you two both act like you're falling for each other." Rangiku explains, and Rukia's eyes widen, but she puts the saucer back to her lips, and finds that she empties it completely. Rangiku doesn't miss the chance to give Rukia another refill.

"I won't deny he's important to me…but I don't think I'd call it what you just did." Rukia says hesitantly, and she watches Rangiku refill her own glass.

"He's gotten pretty well developed. I'm sure if he disrobed, you would find nothing but manly goodness there." Rangiku says, enjoying how red Rukia's cheeks become in response to her words.

"Ichigo has always been abnormally strong." Rukia chokes out, trying not to picture Ichigo's manly goodness, but the image is too strong.

_He's gotten ridiculously muscular…and tall…and powerful…_

"And it's obvious he's hiding some major feelings for you." Rangiku says, holding back her laugh at Rukia's expression, which looks shocked as hell.

Sputtering, Rukia chokes a bit on the sake she'd just been sipping while thinking about Ichigo. "What?"

"I'd say it's only a matter of time," Rangiku continues, and Rukia finishes off her saucer.

"I think we've both had too much to drink." Rukia's response is so guarded, but Rangiku can't take pity on her.

"As a fellow member of the League of Women Shinigami, it's my duty to be honest with you! Sake isn't going to change my opinion!" Rangiku announces, and Rukia swallows her spit nervously.

"Calm down…" Rukia says, holding out her hands so that their conversation isn't heard by any other patrons, who happen to be mostly women interested in the same guy Rangiku came to eye out.

"Well tell me Kuchiki, what you'll do if he gets tired of waiting around for you, and decides to depend on somebody else?" Rangiku says, and Rukia blinks in shock.

"If Ichigo has a life to live, there's no way I should be interfering." Rukia says quietly, and Rangiku looks frustrated as hell.

"You've got it all wrong, and if you keep it up, I'm certain you'll live to regret it." Rangiku tells her, as she picks up the bottle of sake and refills Rukia's saucer.

"It's not as simple as you try to make it sound." Rukia says, grabbing the saucer the moment Rangiku stops pouring.

"Love is pretty damn simple. It's the ones experience it that make it difficult as hell! I thought maybe you were afraid that he might not feel the same way, and I wanted to let you know I strongly feel you don't have to worry about that." Rangiku says, and Rukia polishes off her saucer far more quickly than when she'd first started drinking.

"That's the thing." Rukia says, not realizing just what she's admitting. "Sometimes a love can be so strong that you're afraid that deepening the physical would be counterproductive to the true goal or desire." Rukia says, and Rangiku looks confused.

"What in the hell are you talking about? What's your true desire?"

"I want Ichigo in my life until the day I die. If I tried to be with him, and it didn't work out, he might be gone from my life." Rukia says with a sigh, and Rangiku slams her saucer down on the table hard enough to catch the attention of several women near them.

"I didn't know you were such a coward, Kuchiki!" Rangiku says, pointing her perfectly manicured index finger at her friend.

"I shouldn't have said anything." Rukia mumbles, blushing at the way the other women are staring.

"Maybe I can offer some advice?" The waiter that Rangiku has been ogling is suddenly at their table, and Rangiku is all smiles now.

"We'd love to listen to your advice!" Rangiku gushes, and Rukia glares at her drinking companion, but the waiter heeds Rangiku and looks Rukia square on in the eyes.

"Don't hide your true feelings. You only do a disservice to yourself, and the one you say you want in your life." The waiter advices Rukia, giving her a small the women in the establishment are staring at Rukia for a whole new reason, because she's the center of the attention of the man they all came to see.

"You heard us?" Rukia asks in a horrified manner, and the man gives her a smile filled with sympathy.

"_Everyone_ heard you…" His words get Rukia glowering at Rangiku, who is too busy studying the perfection of their waiter's face.

"How about another bottle?" Rangiku purrs, as she refills both hers and Rukia's saucer, and Rukia shakes her head.

"Can we end this discussion now?" Rukia asks the moment the waiter goes to get their bottle, and Rangiku sighs.

"For the time being. Don't think the conversation has ended though."

* * *

"I can't believe how much alcohol it took to get you to change your mind." Rangiku grumbles as she and Rukia stumble towards the senkai gate.

"I don't have permission to travel right now. Wonder how much trouble I'll get in…" Rukia groans, but Rangiku only grins.

"I'll take the blame Kuchiki." Rangiku says, as they come up to the guards of the senkai gate, and Rangiku yanks on the top of her robe, pulling it down dangerously low, to catch the men's attention.

"What are you doing?" Rukia asks with wide eyes, since she's sure any further and Rangiku's nipple will be showing.

"Soul Society is so stupid to leave men to guard the gate." Rangiku whispers as she giggles loudly to get the men to look at her, which they do.

"Huh?" Rukia asks, and the men start to grin when they see Rangiku in her drunken condition.

"Boys, I think I dropped something in here, can you help me find it?" Rangiku asks, and as they step forward in their eager to assist her, Rangiku gives Rukia a big shove through the senkai gate where a butterfly trails after her.

Rukia is in the pathway all alone before she even processes what just happened, and Rangiku bashes the guards over their heads, knocking them out swiftly, and sits in front of the senkai gate.

* * *

Somehow Rukia makes it through to the real world, but it feels like it takes her forever to get there. It's dark outside, but Rukia finds her way to Ichigo's house, although it feels like she's not moving at any sort of normal speed.

"Rukia!" His voice comes from above her, and Rukia looks up to see Ichigo heading for the ground just in front of her, so she smiles in anticipation.

"Ichigo…" Rukia's voice is quiet, as he lands loudly in front of her, kicking up plenty of spiritual dust, but Rukia just shuts her eyes and waits for it to settle.

He's looking directly at her, expectantly, like he's expecting some sort of hideous situation is at hand, and he must once again save the world.

Rukia steps forward and throws her arms around his waist, pulling him as close as she can get him, and she hears him make a strange sound that lets her know he's shocked.

"Rukia! What's wrong?" Ichigo asks, thinking must be wrong for her to be acting so uncharacteristically, but suddenly he feels a tugging on his robes.

He realizes Rukia's tiny hands are untying the robe that holds covers him up and his eyes practically pop out of his head, but he seems unable to stop her or react.

"I remember in Hueco Mundo, when your robes were practically shredded…" Rukia says, and the way she speaks gives her away that she's completely lit up from her evening with Rangiku.

"Maybe you should lay down." Ichigo says gently, but then she starts to pull the bottom half down, and his breath catches in his throat before he can finally react. He catches the waist band, just as she's slid them down enough to show the bandage type coverings that cover him like a second skin during battle.

Rukia stops immediately and gives him such a hurt look that he's taken aback.

She steps backwards, and turns around, managing to walk without stumbling at all. Ichigo slides his robes back into place, and is at her back in an instant with both hands on her shoulders.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asks her in a low voice, and Rukia tries to take another step forward but he tightens his grip on her shoulders not allowing her forward.

"I'm going back." Rukia says simply, and Ichigo turns her around, but she refuses to look at him.

"I'm not letting you go back like this. I'm taking you home." He tells her, and Rukia kicks him in the shin hard enough to get him to loosen his grip.

"I don't need your pity." Rukia bites out, and Ichigo breathes deeply trying to rid himself of the throbbing pain in his shin.

He flashes out of Rukia's vision, and she finds herself in his arms, and they're flying high in the sky. She's ready to punch him in the face, but he's wisely got her arms in a vice grip, seeming like he knew she'd want to hit him.

"It's not pity Rukia. I'm not going to let you start something like that and just take off. Somehow I don't think I'd see you again until I died if I let you leave now." Ichigo informs her, and Rukia furrows her eyebrows.

_He just stopped me didn't he? What's he talking about?_

"Huh?" Rukia asks, and Ichigo glares at her.

"That's not the place to start something like that." He says, and he nods with a bit of satisfaction when he sees her cheeks which are already pink, get a bit redder with his words.

_You mean he wasn't rejecting me?_

"Why?" Rukia asks instead, and Ichigo snorts.

"Plenty of people in this town can see spiritual beings, and I'm not an exhibitionist!" Ichigo says, and Rukia laughs.

"I want to move my arms." Rukia says, and Ichigo studies her face for a second before relenting, and she grabs him on both sides of his face, to draw him in for a kiss, which makes him stop dead in his tracks, sensing he shouldn't pull away this time.

He lets her kiss him passionately…thoroughly, and a feeling of happiness wells up inside of him as he submits to her will.

When she finally pulls away with a small smile playing about her face, he shoots back up in the air, since they're practically home anyways.

His entire body is tingling in excitement when he comes through the drapes with her in his arms, and her finger is tracing the curve of his chin.

"Now what was it that you were up to outside?" Ichigo asks breathlessly, setting her down on his bed, looking down at her with an eyebrow raised, and she grins at him.

"This." She says, untying the tie, and yanking the bottoms down forcibly.

Ichigo sucks in a breath as his legs and midsection are still covered by the same type of white bandages that cover Zangetsu when he's sheathed. Rukia starts to yank at those next, and Ichigo isn't sure just how far she'll go, but the tingling feeling in his gut tells him it's about to be a night to remember.

"I won't stop you." Ichigo warns her, and Rukia's hand pauses just before she yanks up the bandaging material that covers his manhood.

"I'm doing this because I have strong feelings for you. If you don't, then tell me now." Rukia tells him, and Ichigo gives her a look of exasperation.

"I can't believe you would even doubt that." Ichigo says, and Rukia yanks on the bandages, surprised by just how manly her Ichigo is. She uses her toes to nudge off her sandals and slippers, while eyeing him up and down.

"I want to stand up too…" Rukia tells him, and Ichigo takes a step backwards, watching with a nervous gulp as her hands go to remove her own bottoms, and they're both standing there with their robes open, but on.

Ichigo stills as Rukia comes back into his arms, hugging him and then kissing his chest. The sensation of her soft lips on his skin sets him on fire, and he begins to push the rest of her robe off so that his hands can freely roam her body.

He hears her suck in a breath of pleasure as his hand cups her breast, and she looks up at him, with her drunken eyes shining, making him feel lightheaded. Her hands slide over his ass, squeezing the firm but soft skin that he sports, and he slips his hand on the back of her thigh, lifting her right leg high in the air so that she's practically doing the splits standing up, but her toes are right near his mouth, so he begins to suck on them.

Rukia gasps, unable to hide her surprise at how wonderful his warm tongue feels as it twirls around her tiny toes. Her leg in the air, gets pressed against his body, and he moves the hand from her breast to grab his arousal to tap it against her most private area, which feels new but good to Rukia.

Then he lets go of his arousal, grabs her by her other thigh, and lifts her up so that he's supporting her, with her hands on his head. Rukia's eyes widen as he's holding her straight in the air, licking at the spot where he'd just been tapping. She wraps her legs around his neck and yanks on his hair from the exquisitely intense feelings, and he groans in a turned on manner before turning his tongue completely loose, trying to ravish her that way.

"Oh my god Ichigo…Oh my god!" Rukia moans out, and she yanks on his hair some more, reflexively from what he's doing to her with his tongue. He doesn't rush it either, she's sure she's going to die from excitement when he keeps on going, making her feel like she's hyperventilating.

Finally, he sets her back on the ground, but he grabs her right thigh again bringing it high in the air so she's in a ballerina pose, and then bends his knees to position himself for entry, while watching her body shudder from what he's already done to her.

"You're so flexible, Rukia…" Ichigo murmurs as he feels himself start to ease in.

He lets out a loud breath, and gives Rukia a look that lets her know he's already overwhelmed with feelings, even though he isn't even all the way in yet.

"Make love to me, Ichigo." Rukia orders him, and that's all the encouragement he needs. He takes a deep breath, tightens one hand on her thigh, and the other on her soft butt, and then he gives a powerful thrust. He expects her to cry out in pain, but all she does is suck in a quick breath and then moan.

He knows he just broke her virginity, he felt it, but she's not showing any sign of suffering, so he grasps her leg more firmly, and begins to pull himself out, in order to thrust back in and get the same type of built up pleasure that he got with the first one.

_I can't believe this is happening! She just came here tonight and did all of this, it's unbelievable! _

"You feel too fucking good," Ichigo tells her, with a moan to follow, and Rukia moans as well, since it feels like he's filling her up completely.

_I love being this close to him!_

Ichigo sucks in a breath, because now it's all a matter of trying to last, even though she feels so good he knows he'll explode soon. He turns his head to kiss her ankles, and decides to go with all of his power and effort until he can no longer contain himself.

They're moaning in synch with one another, with Rukia being held up by his arms getting lost in the feeling of the two of them becoming one.

"Oh my god…" Rukia breathes out, before she goes back to moaning, and Ichigo lets out a moan that sounds particularly satisfied, and he seems like he's trying to get himself as deep inside of her as he can physically manage, with him yanking on her butt to pull her as close to him as he can get her.

"I can't last any longer…" Ichigo mutters, before he lets out a loud gasp, and holds her close up against him, while he's buried deep within her, coating her insides with his own DNA.

"Ichigo…" Rukia's voice is quiet, but Ichigo can still feel waves of ecstasy rushing through his body, and he stays completely still, hoping it'll happen again with her very soon.

"I can't believe we just…wow." Ichigo murmurs, as he finally lets Rukia's leg down, and removes himself from within her.

"If you do anything to ruin what just happened, I'll end your life myself." Rukia growls at him, and Ichigo is taken aback since it was such an amazing moment they just shared.

"I don't want to ruin anything, I want to make you happy." Ichigo responds, and he sees that she smiles before she loops her arms around his neck."Good."

"What brought all this on anyways?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia can't meet his eyes.

"I realized I couldn't go any longer without being honest about what I wanted. I want you and I won't let anyone else have you now." Rukia tells him in a low voice, and she finally locks onto his eyes with her own, letting him see she means what she says with all of her heart.

"I wouldn't want anyone else." Ichigo whispers, and she kisses his neck.

"You're my strawberry." Rukia tells him, and he blushes at her insinuation.

"I'll always be." Ichigo says quietly, and Rukia finally lets him go before she stretches out naked on his bed.

"You're damn straight about that." Rukia tells him, and he can't help himself from climbing into the bed naked with her.

"You're the only one I could love this much." Ichigo says quietly, and Rukia's eyes get real big when she looks at him, and then she gives him a beautiful smile.

_Well what do you know? Rangiku-san was right about his feelings for me!_

* * *

"Matsumoto!" Toushirou's voice makes Rangiku sit up straight, as she waits for her captain to find her.

"Captain!" Rangiku exclaims, but he stops dead in his tracks when he sees she's taken out the senkai guards.

"What is the meaning of this?" Toushirou asks, his eyes flashing dangerously, and Rangiku jumps up, backing away from him and towards the senkai gate.

"This was all of the purposes of finally getting Kuchiki to confess to Ichigo!" Rangiku says, and her captain looks like he can barely contain his anger.

"Matsumoto! This is why you skipped work?" He demands and Rangiku gives him a shrug.

"This seemed more important." She realizes he's coming at her, and so she flashes away, trying to get away from him, until his hands get caught up in her hair and he brings her down, giving her his most stern look ever.

"You need to get back to work. I don't care how drunk you got."

"Yes sir!" Rangiku sings out, and Toushirou crosses his arms.

"You're insane…you know that? You can't take out the guards and expect no disciplinary action!"

"Taicho, if you want to spank me, I'll bend over right now."

"For the love of-get back to work! I'll get fresh guards at the gate!" Toushirou orders her, and Rangiku walks away practically unscathed.

"Thanks captain!"

Toushirou glares after her, wondering why in the hell she has to be so damn difficult all of the time, but then he remembers the time that she came to his aid, and probably saved his grandmother from an earlier than needed death, by letting him know he needed to control his powers.

He sighs and crosses his arms.

_I can't believe my lazy Vice Captain will get to claim credit for hooking up Kuchiki Rukia and Kurosaki Ichigo. I knew when she didn't come in, that she was up to something, and then I learned about the betting pool for the Substitute Shinigami to get together with the Kuchiki princess. I should fine her ass!_


	17. Birthday Gift: How Come?

_**A/N- I don't know if all of you saw the story I wrote in honor of my friend Ru's birthday, but I have another friend who has a birthday today (9.27), and so I'm writing this story as a gift to him. You know who you are, I hope you love this one as much as Ru loved hers! It's dedicated with love, and I hope you all enjoy it!**_

_How Come?_

Rukia and Ichigo are alone in his room for the first time in weeks. They have been quiet with Kon looking adoringly at Rukia while she zones out staring at the wall. Ichigo is at his desk, putting the finishing touch on his homework.

"Rukia?" Ichigo asks, and it takes a moment for it to register in Rukia's brain that Ichigo is speaking to her, but when it does she blinks and looks over at him.

"Hmm?" Rukia asks quietly, and Ichigo leans back in his chair studying her.

"How come you're not married?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia blinks again, before she glares at him.

"What kind of question is that?" Rukia demands, and Ichigo takes his pencil before he taps it against his cheek.

"You're nobility aren't you?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia crosses her arms.

"Of course I am, you already knew that though." She confirms, and Ichigo pauses a long moment before he speaks.

"I thought nobility had arranged marriages." Ichigo says in a conversational tone, and Rukia finally rips her gaze from his own.

"My circumstances aren't like that of the typical nobility. I wasn't born in, I was adopted in." Rukia says crossly, but Ichigo shakes his head.

"So?"

"One of the things I was promised when I agreed to be adopted by them was that they wouldn't force me to marry someone if I didn't want to." Rukia says, and Ichigo nods his head.

"So there's never been anyone you wanted to marry?" He asks, and Rukia sighs.

_Nobody who was single…until you…_

"Why are you asking me this?" Rukia demands, and Ichigo shrugs his shoulders.

"I just wanted to know."

"Know what?"

"Why you weren't married. Now I know. You haven't approved of anyone."

"It's not that. It's just that the one I approve of, hasn't asked for my hand." Rukia says simply, and Ichigo nearly falls backwards in his chair.

"Who?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm going to shower." Rukia says, standing up to hurry out of the room before her heated face gives her away.

Of course, Ichigo is just left to his own thoughts which quickly get out of control.

_Who does she want to ask for her hand in marriage? What if that happens and she leaves me? What in the hell will I do then? _

* * *

The topic of who Rukia would like to marry has been eating away at Ichigo for months. He has had absolutely no chance to come back to the discussion though, there hasn't been a smooth way to bring it up without his agitation over it showing.

It drives him crazy, has driven him crazy, but he's held it all in.

It's stressed him out inwardly, for so long, it finally has taken a toll on his body.

"I can't believe you're actually sick." Karin stands in his doorway with her arms crossed, and Ichigo gives her an irritated look as best he can under the circumstances.

"Leave me alone, I'm tired."

"Ichigo!" His father's loud voice causes him to pull the pillow over his ears.

"What?" Ichigo grumbles as his father barges past his sister into his room.

"You're so lucky! Rukia-chan is insisting on staying home from school to take care of you today! Even though I told her I'd be here since the clinic is here…"

Ichigo is glad his face is red from being ill, otherwise he's sure he'd blush at what his father is saying.

"Tell her to go to school. I'll probably just sleep all day anyways," Ichigo grumbles, even though he secretly likes the idea of being nursed back to health by her…

"I won't! She refuses anyways. She's so cute, worrying about you like she is!" Isshin retorts and Ichigo holds his breath.

_Really? Why would she be like that towards me when there is someone she wants to marry? _

"Leave me alone and let me sleep!" Ichigo demands, and Isshin chuckles loudly enough for Ichigo to hear as he complies with his son's wishes.

His room stays quiet for a few minutes and Ichigo drifts off into a sweaty sleep. When he opens his eyes, it's due to some aroma wafting in his nose, so groans and attempts to clear his throat before he coughs and then his eyes widen.

Rukia is standing there with a steaming bowl of soup in an apron his mother used to wear. It's too long on her but she looks so adorable, he blinks a couple of times in shock at what he's seeing.

He shakes his head, wondering if it's an illusion, but she's still standing there when he's stills his head and then groans at the added pain he just caused himself.

"Rukia…" His voice is raspy, and he feels like he's getting sicker instead of better…but the sight of Rukia is definitely a sight for sore eyes.

_Damn she's so cute…no beautiful standing there. She'd make such a good wife…_

Ichigo scowls at the direction of his absurd thoughts, but Rukia pays his look no mind, instead she smiles proudly.

"With Yuzu's help I located the cure for your illness!" Rukia proclaims, and Ichigo is simply grateful she didn't say Inoue's name, otherwise he's sure this beauteous angel would send him to Soul Society far sooner than planned in his current state.

"What is that?" Ichigo asks, hating how his voice gives away just how ill he is.

"This is called chicken noodle soup. I found the recipe on the internet! It took me all morning but I'm sure I got it right! I even tasted it and I felt like it was warding off illness!" Rukia says brightly and Ichigo resists the urge to roll his eyes at her.

Maybe it's how sick he is, or maybe it's because he always wants Rukia to come cure him when he's this ill, but he can't stop the next words that roll out of his mouth.

"How come you're doing so much for me when you have someone you want to ask for your hand in marriage?" Ichigo asks, but he softens the question by sitting up and reaching out for the bowl of soup.

_Why'd I ask that? I'm an idiot! What will she say?_

If Rukia were clumsy, she'd spill the hot soup on him at that question, but she's able to keep calm enough to keep her reaction at widened eyes and nothing else as she carefully passes the soup off to the man she wants to ask for her hand in marriage.

"It's for the exact same reason that you do things for me." Rukia says, and then she sits down at his desk chair, holding her breath as he takes a spoonful of her soup and blows away some of the heat.

Even blowing on that damn soup though, he has an angry look on his face at her choice of words in answering him.

"Why can't you just answer me straight out?" Ichigo asks before he takes a spoonful, and when he swallows it, Rukia lets out the breath of air she was holding and tries to answer his question in a way that will put an end to the topic.

"I'm starting to think you wouldn't do the same for me if I was sick, and I thought we were…nakama…and how is the soup?" Rukia says and Ichigo scowls at her again.

_She's not going to give me any sort of answer that will satisfy me…but the soup is good…_

"Thanks for making this for me, I can't really taste much because of how sick I am, but it feels like it might be helping." Ichigo says kindly, wondering why she can't give him the same sort of direct answer he can give to her question.

"You're welcome. There's more in the pot downstairs, so you'll have soup for as long as you need it." Rukia assures him, and Ichigo nods his head before he takes another bite.

"I would too take care of you if you were sick." Ichigo grumbles it under his breath and Rukia thinks she knows what he said but she's not a hundred percent sure.

"What?" She asks, and he glares at her while taking another large bite of her soup.

"Nothing." He refuses to speak nicely to her, but damn it to hell if he doesn't finish every last bite of the soup, even though his body tells him to be done at half the bowl.

_She looks too damn cute in that apron and she did work hard to make it for me and help me. I need to eat it all…_

* * *

Ichigo has dreamless sleep in his ill state, which actually is taking far longer to pass than he would have expected. He and Rukia have stayed home from school for three days now. It doesn't help that the question of the year has been eating away at him even more after his most recent discussion with Rukia in regards to the man she wants to ask for her hand in marriage.

She's been out of his room for a few hours, so when she pops back in with some orange juice and a cold cloth for his head he's surprised to see her. She sets the juice on the nightstand and places the cold cloth on his head before she whips a paper out of her pocket and unfolds it for him.

"I drew you a picture!" Rukia says in the same bright voice she's been trying to use for three solid days, and Ichigo bites his lip as she turns it around to show him.

It's a sick bunny with orange spiked hair that he's sure is meant to represent him. A female bunny is next to him forcing some concoction down his throat, similar to how Rukia was plying him with medicine for the past two nights, and the bunny meant to be him has a terrible scowl on his face.

"Very nice." Ichigo's voice is sarcastic but Rukia beams anyways.

"You're right! I did some of my best work on this piece! I'll just hang it up here for you-"

"No! You don't have to do that!" Ichigo says a bit too energetically as he sits up and then he starts to cough terribly.

"You need to take it easy Ichigo. This little drawing should help ward away illness!" Rukia says, and Ichigo rolls his eyes.

"Who told you that nonsense?" He asks, and Rukia frowns.

"It's simply a feeling I get."

Ichigo groans, takes a drink of his orange juice, and then rearranges the cloth on his head as he flops back into a laying position.

"I don't have the energy to fight you on this." Ichigo groans, and Rukia looks at him with concern.

"I'm going to talk to your father. You've been sick for far too long."

"It's a human thing. It happens sometimes," Ichigo says in a growl, but Rukia is determined to help him get better so she heads out of his room to get answers from the man.

* * *

Rukia is staring expectantly at Isshin, waiting for him to give her the perfect answer to get Ichigo up and around again.

"Rukia-chan, I think his illness is a direct result of heartache." Isshin says, and Rukia crosses her arms while furrowing her eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" She asks, since his answer makes no sense at all to her.

"He's afraid you don't love him, although I don't know how my idiot son can be that blind." Isshin says in a conversational tone, and Rukia's eyes bulge.

"Be serious!" Rukia demands with a stomp of her foot and Isshin laughs at her agitation.

"Rukia-chan…I'm as serious as a heart attack." Isshin says as he deadpans on her and Rukia gulps nervously.

"I don't think-" Rukia is cut off by Ichigo's father.

"Maybe he'll never recover, if you're not really willing to help him, but after seeing you stay home from school to nurse him to health these past few days, I thought you'd take what I had to say to heart." Isshin says, and Rukia looks a bit confused.

"So you're saying…Ichigo will never get better if I don't tell him I love him?" Rukia asks hoarsely, and Isshin nods his head with a big smile.

"Now you're catching on!"

Rukia turns her back on him and walks slowly out of the clinic, completely missing Isshin's victorious smile.

"You're terrible." Yoruichi in cat form hops into the window and down onto his desk.

"Hey! Those two naïve idiots need some direction for crying out loud! MY son is an idiot and Rukia-chan is proud. If I didn't do it this way I'd have to get them drunk!" Isshin says, and then his eyes light up.

"Don't get your son drunk!" Yoruichi snaps, and Isshin just scratches his chin.

"It's a last resort!" Isshin says defensively, and Yoruichi rolls her eyes.

"Sometimes I think you've lost your mind." She says as she sits in a comfortable position.

"I like to keep people guessing." Isshin says with a chuckle, and Yoruichi groans.

"You never change."

* * *

Try as she might, Rukia cannot gather the gumption to confess her feelings to Ichigo…even though she's been told he'll get better if she does. When she heads into his room to feed him the medicine, she feels very guilty as she approaches him, seeing how miserable he looks.

Ichigo notices the difference in her immediately. Every other time she came to see him she was bright and cheerful. This time she looks sullen and sad, like she's expecting him to keel over and die at any minute.

"I don't want to take that nasty stuff." Ichigo protests, and Rukia sighs before she sets the medicine on his desk in a dejected manner.

"Alright. It hasn't seemed like it's helped anyways." Rukia says, and then she flops into the chair, trying to gather the courage needed for the confession to get him back on track.

_It's impossible. I can't say it._

"What's wrong with you?" Ichigo asks suspiciously, and Rukia sighs.

"Your father says there's no cure for you." Rukia lies, and Ichigo's eyes widen.

"That's bullshit! I'll be fine in a few days I'm sure!" He coughs after getting that excited and Rukia shoots him a dubious look.

"I don't know. Maybe I should tell Soul Society to prepare for your arrival." Rukia says sadly, and Ichigo narrows his eyes at her.

"Don't you even consider such a stupid thing! I've been sick like this before!" His words have an astounding effect on Rukia. Her eyes shoot at him in shock, and she looks very hurt by that.

"When? What exactly happened?" Rukia asks him, wanting to know who else he's gotten lovesick over.

"What are you talking about? It's happened a few times since I was a kid. Sometimes it's contagious, like a flu bug gets around, and sometimes it takes longer than others to get better, but I will so long as I keep resting. I'm not going to die." Ichigo sounds very confident, and Rukia just looks at him sadly.

"I think that's because you don't know what you have. According to your father you are incurable, unless you change mentally." Rukia says, and Ichigo rolls his eyes at her.

"Listen Rukia…you can't believe every word that comes out of my old man's mouth, okay?" He says, and Rukia raises an eyebrow at that.

"Really?"

"Really. Don't worry so much. You've helped a lot these past few days…and I'll take that medicine now." Ichigo says, and Rukia's eyes light up.

_I'll believe in Ichigo…and I won't tell him he's the one._

* * *

"Foiled by a damn teenager!" Isshin looks shocked and a bit aggravated while Yoruichi chuckles at him.

"Ichigo manages to surprise once in awhile." She says, and Isshin nods his head in agreement.

"That's for damn sure."

"Let it be. Let things happen naturally." Yoruichi advises, and Isshin just places his hands in front of him like a teepee, letting just the tips of his fingers touch as the wheels turn in his head.

"That's no fun. I want to see Ichigo experience it fully. Sure he's fallen in love, but he deserves to be in love, especially after all he's endured. I have no patience on this matter. We're talking about my son here." Isshin says, and Yoruichi sighs.

"You want me to go back to Soul Society and get the Shihouin Special Sake?" Yoruichi asks him, and Isshin nods his head.

"Tonight while he's sleeping, I'll inject him with enough medication that he should be fine by the weekend. Then we'll do what needs to be done. We'll get him drunk. If he's drunk, he'll open up easier to Rukia-chan. And she won't be able to resist since she loves him too." Isshin says with confidence, and Yoruichi resists the urge to sigh at his refusal to see all the things that could go wrong too.

"Alright, I'll go. I'm going to let Kisuke know. He definitely has something that will help Ichigo from getting sick from too much alcohol too." Yoruichi says, and Isshin grins.

"Thanks for helping."

"Did I have a choice?" Yoruichi asks, and Isshin laughs.

"It's your duty from birth."

"I know. I'll be heading out." Yoruichi stands and jumps gracefully back into the window. She gives Isshin a look before hopping out of his sight, and Isshin chortles with glee.

* * *

Ichigo gets nervous every time Rukia heads out to kill a hollow without him, and he can't sleep despite taking the medicine until she gets back safely. She'd hopped out the window without a word to him after giving him his medicine, and now all he can do is panic until she gets back.

_I have to get better! I hate being this sick!_

It takes a few minutes, but Rukia does return and reclaim her gigai while Ichigo feels relief deep in his chest.

"It went very smoothly," Rukia says in a calm tone, and when Ichigo speaks he notices his voice sounds a tiny bit more normal than usual.

"I'm glad." Ichigo says, and Rukia grins at him.

"Try and get some rest, okay?" She asks, and Ichigo nods his head.

"I will." He promises, and as Rukia walks out of the door, he takes a few deep breaths, and wills good health to come back to him.

_I need to get out of this fucking bed by the weekend. I'm sick of this!_

* * *

Rukia gives Isshin an accusing stare when Ichigo walks down the stairs in the morning actually looking like he's recovered.

"Are you well enough to be out of bed?" Rukia asks with concern and Ichigo stretches, making Rukia blush since he looks so adorable as he does it.

"I'm not a hundred percent but I had to get up and walk around. I have been in bed for too long. Plus I'm kind of hungry." Ichigo says, and Isshin smiles.

"I'm glad son, I was beginning to think you'd never pull through." Isshin says, and Ichigo glares at him.

"So I heard." Ichigo says nudging his head towards Rukia and she blushes as Isshin stares at her.

"Rukia-chan!"

"So! Isn't the weather nice today?" Rukia asks in her high pitched voice, and Ichigo glares at her while Isshin starts to laugh.

"She really told you that you were going to die?" He asks, unable to stop laughing, and Rukia stands up, ready to bolt.

"I couldn't do what you said!" Rukia yelps out before she makes a dash for the door, and Ichigo glares at his father suspiciously.

"What did she mean by that?" He asks, and Isshin just holds his side from laughing so hard.

"I think she either misunderstood or lied to you, because I was just kidding about thinking you were a goner." Isshin manages to get out in between laughs, and Ichigo glares as he takes a plate from Yuzu.

"That's not funny!"

"What do you expect from a father who still acts like a kid?" Karin asks as she takes her seat, and Ichigo rolls his eyes at that.

"Stop messing with Rukia, she's kind of naïve about our ways!" Ichigo snaps at his father and Isshin laughs some more.

"That's what makes it fun. Lighten up." Isshin orders his son, and Ichigo jams a piece of bacon into his mouth.

"Just stop messing with her. Now she's run away." Ichigo complains and Isshin just smiles knowingly at his son.

"Don't worry, she'll come back."

* * *

"You got the stuff?" Isshin asks as he walks into Urahara's shop wearing a hat and sunglasses. He looks around to make sure no clients are there before he removes the sunglasses.

"Why'd you come incognito? You only look more suspicious that way." Urahara says reasonably and Isshin gets right in his face.

"Because it's more fun that way, idiot!"

"For heaven's sake…" Yoruichi says as she appears in the doorway.

"You didn't answer my question Urahara! Did you get the stuff?"

"You knew I'd come through without having to ask." Yoruichi says, and Isshin laughs.

"That's because I have the right people working for me."

"I have the perfect thing to add to the sake. This will prevent your son from vomiting or experience and unpleasant drunken experience. This is meant to make sure he gets all the good, and none of the bad. It will also lower his tolerance." Urahara says, and Yoruichi groans again.

"He doesn't have a tolerance to begin with. He's never been drunk before." Yoruichi says, and Isshin scoffs at her.

"It's in the bloodline to need a lot to get drunk. This medication here is a lifesaver, and will make my job much easier!" Isshin seems so pleased that Urahara tips his hat and blushes.

"Thanks Your Majesty- oomph!" Urahara stops as Isshin's elbow collides with his cheek.

"I told you not to call me that here!"

"Sorry! I don't know why the elbow was unexpected…like father like son, right?" Urahara says, feeling stupid for the first time in a long time.

"Kisuke you idiot. You're lucky he's not like the king my great grandfather had to serve. He'd have killed you for being insolent." Yoruichi says and Urahara laughs nervously.

"Again I'm sorry!"

"I like you too much to kill you. After all, you were a big help with the whole Aizen mess, and after." Isshin says, and Urahara bows to him.

"You're magnanimous beyond measure."

"Where's the rest of the goods?" Isshin asks, and Urahara walks him over to the counter where he puts several small bottles into a brown bag.

The elixir of the Shihouin Clan, the most treasured sake in all of Soul Society. Including some secrets from the royal dimension and with a taste so sweet it leaves you wanting more and never feeling full.

"I took as much as I could carry. Kisuke don't be stingy, only one of those bottles is for you." Yoruichi says, and Kisuke pouts.

"Don't you want one too?" He asks, and Yoruichi purrs.

"I already have my bottle set aside, and Tessai's. All you have to do is give him everything behind the counter except for one." Yoruichi orders him, and Kisuke begrudgingly puts the rest of the precious concoction into Isshin's designated bag.

"I want some of that medicine too," Isshin tells him, and Urahara sighs sadly at the thought of only getting one bottle of the Shihouin Special Recipe, since he usually only gets it on his birthday, and he always gets at least ten bottles.

"Of course, I'll get it for you right away." Urahara says as he walks off dejectedly into the next room.

"Sorry about him. He's like a child sometimes." Yoruichi says apologetically, and Isshin chuckles.

"He just needs to get laid. You can help him with that as usual." Isshin assures her and Yoruichi laughs.

"He'll cheer up when he realizes I had a sack with me and I saved him more than one bottle. I'm temped to give you that last one behind the counter and really watch him cry." Yoruichi says and Isshin laughs.

"I'm good, this is plenty. I just want that medicine so that I can have fun watching my son make an ass of himself drunk!" Isshin declares and Yoruichi sighs while hoping for Isshin's sake that nothing goes wrong with his little plan.

* * *

"Rukia-chan, do you mind going with the girls to go pick up a pizza while I talk with my idiot son?" Isshin asks and Rukia nods her head in agreement.

"It's a long walk, not to mention the train ride, and the pizza will probably be cold by the time we get back." Karin says crossly, and Isshin glares at her.

"How about this Karin-chan? Get the pizza I want, and I'll give you extra money to get a hot one in addition to that one from wherever you want on your way back!" Isshin says, congratulating himself on the key idea of getting the girls out of the house for an even longer period of time.

_I'm a genius!_

"Fine. Even though we'll look like we're pizzaholics with two different kinds of pizza in our possession!" Karin says with an annoyed tone, but she does want hot pizza and she looks away as her father hands Rukia some extra cash.

"Why do you need to talk to me? Let me go with them." Ichigo says and Isshin smacks his son into the wall behind him.

"Shut up you're staying here."

"Okay, we'll be leaving then," Yuzu says in an uncertain tone, and the girls all head for the door.

"Bye!" Isshin calls out in a jovial tone as Ichigo picks himself up off the floor.

"Why'd you do that?" Ichigo demands as he balls his hand into a fist and Isshin gives him a good fatherly glare which holds Ichigo back from attacking.

"You weren't listening. You only just recovered and there is something I want you to take." Isshin says, and Ichigo just rubs his sore body while glaring at his father.

"I feel fine today."

"I want to make sure we keep it that way." Isshin says as he walks over to the fridge and pulls out the cup he prepared especially for his son.

"What's this?" Ichigo asks, and Isshin grins.

"Try it, you'll love it. The great thing about this is you can have more if you want it, and it's mighty tasty. Helps prevent sickness. I'm going to have some too." Isshin says casually as he opens the fridge again to pull out his much larger cup.

"This is good." Ichigo says after taking one sip, and Isshin nods.

"Told you. Women can't have it though. Has a strange side effect. Makes them want to make love." Isshin says casually and his son's eyes widen at that information.

"What?"

"That's why I sent them out." Isshin says, and Ichigo just opens and closes his mouth before he takes a big gulp of the tasty drink that has reminds him of some fruit, amazed that it has the power to cure sickness and to make a woman want to get it on.

"I get it now." Ichigo says as he takes another drink and Isshin grins at him.

"You going to want seconds?" He asks, and Ichigo immediately nods.

"I never tasted anything this good before in my life."

"In terms of beverages I'd say you're right." Isshin says, and Ichigo gives him a weird look but thinks maybe it's best he doesn't fully understand his father's comment.

"That is the best. I'll take some more." Ichigo says, and Isshin nods towards the fridge where there are still several more prepared drinks waiting to go.

"Help yourself." Isshin says, and Ichigo heads for the sink with his old cup and then to the fridge for a new one.

"The entire top shelf is covered in them!" Ichigo says with shock, and Isshin grins.

"We've got some work to do before the girls get back, eh?"

Ichigo nods his head, but feels up for the challenge. "You're not kidding."

* * *

When the girls get back with three pizzas, they're stunned to find Isshin and Ichigo laughing as they finish whatever it is they were drinking during their absence.

"Did you finish your talk?" Rukia asks curiously and Isshin nods.

"Right after you left we had it." He says, and Ichigo polishes off his drink, wondering why he feels so unsteady.

"What was in that drink?" Ichigo asks as he has a hard time properly focusing, and Isshin just chuckles.

"Relax. That's just a pleasant aftereffect. It's like being drunk." Isshin says causally and Ichigo doesn't completely process what he's been told but the smell of pizza is in his head.

"Can I have some hot pizza?" Ichigo asks, and Karin nods.

"The only one banned from hot pizza is dad, who forced us to go three towns over. We had to take the train and everything." Karin says in an annoyed voice, and Rukia glances at her.

"We were fine. I took care of it." Rukia says and Yuzu laughs.

"They were sorry for getting that close to us." Yuzu says with amusement and Ichigo scowls.

"That's why I wanted to go with you." He growls but Rukia just shrugs at him prettily as they pass by him to set the pizzas on the counter.

"I said I handled it." Rukia says and Yuzu heads to the cupboard to get out plates for everyone.

"I'm starved." She says, and everyone quickly agrees and the room grows quiet as everyone takes their share.

Ichigo stands right behind Rukia, crowding her back with his front as he reaches around her for his slice, and Rukia feels her cheek heating up from his closeness, but she says nothing. He's done getting his pizza fast enough and backs away from her to take his seat.

_Why is my heart pounding so fast? That was different from me being on his back, that's for sure!_

Rukia's hand shakes as she sets two pieces of pizza on her plate and heads for her seat across from Ichigo. She can't put her finger on it but something seems off about him and it's a familiar sensation that she can't quite put her finger on, but at the moment he starts shoveling pizza down his throat, she concentrates on her own meal.

Isshin decides to put on some music, as soon as he finishes eating, and it's music with quite a beat, which has Ichigo tapping his foot as he starts on his third and fourth pieces of pizza.

Rukia still thinks Ichigo is acting oddly, so she stares at him a lot as he eats, wondering what is wrong with him. He feels her eyes on him, and he shocks her by stopping in mid-bite to give her a sexy wink which makes her heart melt at the sight of it.

_That was so hot! _

Rukia's knees feel weak and she's glad she's sitting, since she got an immediate physical reaction to him winking at her.

_Why'd he do that? Why does he have to do that to me when I'm sitting here constantly wishing he'd finally acknowledge his feelings for me?_

Ichigo continues to chew but keeps his eyes on her, admiring the way that cute little strand of hair sits on her face, and the way she's looking at him without moving her gaze anywhere else in the room.

Ichigo finishes what's in front of him pretty quickly and then he gives Rukia a bit of a smile as he asks her something she's not expecting to hear.

"Can I talk to you in private?" Ichigo asks, and Rukia nods, not sure what he wants to talk about, but she hopes he doesn't wink at her again, she's weak against that.

"Sure." Rukia agrees and Ichigo grabs her plate from in front of her and walks over to the sink with both of them. Rukia grabs her can of soda off the table and then Ichigo's empty glass as well.

"There are so many cups to wash!" Yuzu suddenly wails as she realizes the sink is completely full of dishes.

"Don't worry about that Yuzu! I'll get that later!" Isshin calls from the living room but Yuzu shakes her head.

"I can't stand the thought of them just sitting there. I'll just take care of it now."

Karin rolls her eyes and helps herself to another serving of hot pizza.

"I wonder what was up with Ichi-ni. He was acting kind of weird." Karin says observantly and Yuzu shakes her head.

"He just seemed hungry to me."

Isshin chuckles from the next room.

_Hopefully he's hungry for some Rukia-chan!_

* * *

"What's wrong, Ichigo?" Rukia asks and he pins her with an intense stare.

"How come you won't talk about the guy you want to marry?" He asks her suddenly and Rukia's cheeks grow red.

"I don't want to talk about that." She says quietly and Ichigo closes in on her, making her shiver a bit, which he notices despite his inebriated state.

"I want to, because of this." Ichigo says before he leans down and gently kisses her lips. Rukia is shocked. Then she realizes it…

_He's drunk!_

"What are you doing, idiot?" Rukia asks, using both hands to attempt to shove him away, but he reaches out in a lightning quick manner to grab her arms and he keeps from being shoved away by holding onto her.

"I can't wait anymore." Ichigo says suggestively, before he leans down to kiss her again, and Rukia is at a loss. She knows that she should stop him since he's not thinking clearly, but his kiss indicates otherwise, like he knows exactly what he's pulling off.

"Ichigo stop it…" Rukia trails off, and her words aren't taken seriously at all. He moves from her lips to her neck and all protests fly right out the window. He doesn't stop at just licking her neck, he begins to suck on it which sends her into a state of ecstasy.

_That feels too good to be true!_

"That feels…wow..." Rukia whispers and then she lets out an appreciative moan which only encourages Ichigo to go further.

"I want you to feel good." Ichigo tells her and Rukia nods her head absentmindedly, while he lets his kisses land on more of her silky skin. He puts his hand on the zipper of her dress, and when he hears no complaint out of Rukia, he slips it off her body by tugging at the shoulders to the dress.

She's wearing a cute matching set of bra and panties with rabbits leaping all over her bra and panties and he gives her an amused look.

"Figures you'd even have rabbits on these." He says, and Rukia blushes.

"Are you making fun of me?" She asks him and Ichigo quickly shakes his head no.

"Of course not." He answers right as he figures out how to unsnap her bra and as it falls to the floor he sucks in his breath at the view before him.

Then he feels his head moving forward instinctively and then he's kissing the beautiful breasts he's just exposed, getting Rukia to moan in reaction to the touch of his tongue against her nipple which only turns Ichigo on even more than he already was.

His mouth stays planted on her nipple, but he uses his hands to push her panties down to her thighs, and then lower still. He finally pulls his head away from her body so that he can remove the underwear completely, and he takes in his first sight of Rukia naked before him.

_Holy shit she's even more beautiful naked…I'm ready to release in my pants right here and now…_

His hands go to his own clothing and he rids himself of them in record time.

Rukia's eyes are looking at his body appreciatively, and he's sure her mind isn't on the guy she wants to ask for her hand in marriage, it can only be on him, which he likes a lot.

"We should get in bed," Ichigo says as he glances in the direction of the bed for only the briefest of moments before he's back to looking at her. She blushes and he takes her by the hand to pull her towards the bed.

_I can't believe it's gotten this out of control! I can't believe we're getting into his bed naked together…I can't believe how much I want him! He's so handsome and his body is so sexy!_

He picks her up off her feet and lays her on her back in the bed before he starts the task of exploring more of her body with his hands and mouth. It's a dizzyingly satisfying feeling when she moans at his efforts and then his mouth finds the most sensitive nub on her body.

The cry Rukia lets out next affects Ichigo in ways he hadn't expected. He has to force himself to keep his mouth on her and not to begin making love to her that very second. He manages that task but it's difficult considering his body is screaming at him to enter her already.

He wins the battle within himself and continues to enjoy her moans of ecstasy as he enjoys tasting her.

He pulls his head away with a hazy look in his eyes before he tells her what he wants to say.

"You're so beautiful Rukia."

"Ichigo…" Rukia moans and then he places his index finger on the nub his mouth was just pleasing and studies the look on her face and her reactions as he plays with her most sensitive area.

He never imagined she could look this beautiful while caught up in ecstasy, and he knows he's got to be the luckiest man alive.

"I want you so bad Rukia." Ichigo admits and Rukia nods her head in agreement before she admits what she probably shouldn't.

"I want you too…more than you know." Rukia whispers, and Ichigo moves himself upwards so that he can kiss her again.

"It's so hard to hold back." Ichigo tells her and Rukia just moans into his mouth as he presses fiery kisses against her lips and then dips his tongue inside of her mouth trying to convey all the feelings he has for her with the passionate kiss.

She returns it fervently seeming to understand that this is more than just sex about to occur between them.

_We're finally confronting our feelings for each other…will he finally realize he's the one I've been waiting for?_

She tries to tell him with her kiss, but he's an idiot who is caught up with trying to get his own feelings across that he doesn't fully realize what her own intentions are with allowing him such access to her body.

His hands are sliding all around her most intimate places and when he pulls away from her mouth he goes back to kissing her breasts and then he lets his kisses trail down to her washboard stomach.

"Ichigo!" Rukia lets out an excited cry as he begins pressing his kisses lower and lower until he's back to the place that makes her back arch in excitement without her being able to stop it from occurring. He also realizes that she tastes better than the drink his father plied him with earlier.

He takes his time making sure she's good and ready for the final act of making her his and she enjoys each moment of ecstasy as thoroughly as she can.

"Damn Rukia." Ichigo says as he pulls his head away and then uses his fingers again, finding she's as wet and as slick as he's sure she can get.

"You're driving me crazy," Rukia admits in a soft voice.

"That's what I wanted to do," Ichigo says as his lusty eyes meet her own.

He pulls her up into a sitting position and then onto his lap as he kisses her again and then uses his hand to explore her backside.

She sighs into his mouth as his hands trail lightly over her back, and lower until he's got his hands on her butt and he's squeezing her there while they kiss too.

_I want to touch all of her…I don't want this to end…_

He pulls her closer and she moans in encouragement of that, and he can feel her breasts pressing against his own muscular chest.

_I don't think I can hold off anymore…_

No sooner does he have those thoughts when he pushes her back down on the bed and backs his body up so that he can let their sexes rub together as well, which gets a cute sigh out of Rukia and is all Ichigo needs to hear to advance things a bit further.

He uses his hand to help position himself properly and then he watches Rukia's face as he begins to enter her. She has a look on her face which he's never seen before, and it seems she's anticipating this as much as he is.

_Damn I love her!_

Rukia's eyes widen as he sinks further inside of her, and then he bites his lip as he realizes he can't continue to be gentle because her virginity prevents it.

She sees the look of apology in his eyes before he gives it a good strong push, and he's successful with his goal on the first try. Rukia lets out a different sound, and he's worried he hurt her, and so he keeps his eyes on her face as he finds himself pushed completely inside, and it's the most glorious sensation he's ever felt in his life.

_I didn't know it could feel this damn good!_

"I didn't know it would hurt that much." Rukia says, but it appears as though she's already getting over the pain.

"I'm sorry…" Ichigo trails off, and Rukia gives him a look of forgiveness.

"I'm not mad…" That's all she has to say when he pulls out just a bit in order to push back in, and her eyes go back into her head, letting him know she felt it in a good way.

"Feels good?" Ichigo asks in a breathless voice before he continues on, and Rukia nods while blushing.

"I'm glad…" Ichigo says before he starts thrusting again.

He enjoys the feeling of their naked bodies pressing together more than he could have ever thought possible, and the sight of her naked body in itself makes it tough for him to maintain control over himself, but maybe due to the alcohol he manages to keep pressing on without embarrassing himself by finishing too soon.

"Ichigo!" Rukia cries out, and Ichigo claps a hand over her mouth.

"Try to be quiet or my family will hear!" He tells her and Rukia nods her head before he pulls his hand away from her mouth and continues on.

So many wondrous thoughts fly through his head about how much he enjoys doing this with her, and how he refuses to let this be the last time it happens.

For Rukia it's an amazingly emotional experience to be able to express her love physically with the man who she has been wanting for ages now.

_It's okay that we're doing this because I love him…_

It's as though his mind is in synch with her own because then she hears words coming out of his mouth that she hadn't imagined she might hear.

"I love you Rukia."

"I love you too," Rukia tells him, her eyes shining in happiness as he continues to press forward, but the verbal statement of love is enough to push his body into overdrive and he can feel that it will be over soon.

They both moan together as Ichigo puts added energy into his movement, and Rukia raises her hips to meet him halfway with each thrust.

"Rukia…" His voice sounds strained and then he lets out a loud groan that she's sure could be heard all the way downstairs.

He slows down the tiniest bit and it feels like he's trying to get as deep inside of her as he possibly can while he empties himself into her with a final powerful thrust.

They're both breathing heavily as he slumps his naked chest against hers and presses several quick kisses along the side of her face and then on her lips.

Then he asks the stupidest question on the planet.

"How come you did that with me if you want to marry someone else?"

Rukia struggles underneath him, but his weight holds her in place and he doesn't allow her to move away at all.

"How come you're such an idiot that you've never noticed the someone was you?" Rukia demands to know and Ichigo's eyes widen in understanding and he feels very foolish.

"Really?" He asks, and Rukia gives him a frustrated look.

"Yes idiot!"

"Don't call me that! How could I have known?" He asks stupidly, and Rukia shakes her head at him.

"You should have noticed I love you. How come you didn't?" She asks, and he silences her with a kiss.

_I know it now. I will ask Byakuya and marry you no matter what!_

* * *

**A/N- Again…Happy birthday to the friend this story was done in honor of. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. You were on my mind during much of it!**


	18. Unacceptable

**A/N- I was so depressed I had to write this.**

_Unacceptable_

Isshin has felt sorry for his son. He's been wanting to tell him for weeks now that there is a way to recover his Shinigami powers, but he's afraid of how his son will react when he finds out it won't be a quick recovery, not like what Ishida had.

There is a nasty trait with the bloodline Ichigo shares with his father, and that is that their zanpakutou cannot under any circumstance be recovered quickly after they've blasted off a final Getsuga Tenshou.

Not only that but Ichigo has closed himself off from everyone. His friends, his family, and school. Isshin is sure his son is coming downstairs in the middle of the night to gather food, otherwise there is no explanation for why his son's room hasn't begun to give off the nasty stench of rotting flesh if Ichigo really has given up on living.

_Rukia-chan hasn't come by in a gigai either. I wonder if she thinks it would be more painful if she did…perhaps she thinks Ichigo is mourning the loss of his powers, when really it's losing his ability to be with her that's got him most up in arms. That's the other nasty trait of our bloodline. When we fall in love, we fall hard and forever. _

"Isn't that right Masaki?"

* * *

"You have to tell him already." Urahara insists to Isshin, but he just shakes his head no.

"He has to understand what's truly important before we can tell him anything."

"What's important is that what he's mourning doesn't have to be forever! Why let him go through so much pain when he doesn't have to?" Urahara asks, unable to understand what Isshin is thinking.

"When Ichigo wants to rejoin the living, then we can tell him." Isshin says, and Urahara looks frustrated.

"If you won't tell him, I will."

"He won't listen to you in the state he's in right now." Isshin says with a sigh, and Urahara raises an eyebrow at that challenge.

"Want to make a bet?"

"How much?" Isshin asks, with a victorious smile, and Urahara smiles wickedly.

"One million yen."

"Oh you are on! You'd better have that money or I'll beat you half to death and then again after you heal!" Isshin warns him, and Urahara tips his hat at Isshin.

"Watch me."

"You don't get the money if you cheat." Isshin calls out as Urahara takes one step forward and then freezes at Isshin's words.

"What do you mean?"

"If you have to force him to listen to you then it doesn't count." Isshin says calmly, and Urahara blinks twice.

"That's exactly what my plan was. Bet is off." Urahara says, and Isshin laughs.

"I could force him to listen to me, but I know Ichigo needs this time to reflect on what everything truly means to him. His powers and his feelings for Rukia-chan." Isshin says lazily and Urahara guffaws.

"You seem so sure of yourself. Your son could be suicidal." Urahara points out and even Isshin isn't capable of not having a reaction to that comment.

"He just needs time to get a hold of himself. He was even worse than this when Masaki died. If we give him time, he'll come around." Isshin says with as much confidence as he can muster and Urahara shakes his head in disagreement.

"It's different. Losing your mom and losing the love of your life. You should know that better than anyone. You even told me, that if it weren't for the kids, you wouldn't have known how to go on. Your son doesn't have any children with Kuchiki-san to take care of, and I'm certain his love for Kuchiki-san is just as strong as yours for your wife." Urahara argues, and Isshin looks like he might be wavering.

"I can't really argue with that, after all I know you were witness to my son's depression back when he thought he couldn't save Rukia-chan when she was taken away to Soul Society, but no matter how you tell him, you have to also tell him how much time it takes. I don't see my son cheering up a whole hell of a lot when he finds out he won't be a Shinigami again anytime soon. That's almost as bad as not being able to be one at all." Isshin says with a grumble, and Urahara gives him a smirk.

"What if I told you it doesn't have to take as long as it did with you? That I can cut the down time by about ninety percent?" Urahara asks, and Isshin's eyes widen.

"You evil genius…you can cut the down time?" Isshin says, completely flabbergasted by this new piece of information.

"I have a soft spot for your son. He is my student, after all. I researched very carefully what I did to help you recover your powers, and with the help of the hougyoku, I know your son can have his powers back in two years instead of twenty. Do you think that would cheer him up more?" Urahara asks, and Isshin nods his head slowly.

"Especially if you tell him like that, it's supposed to take twenty years but you can reduce it to two…I think he'd be elated then." Isshin says slowly and Urahara starts smiling again.

"Time to force him to listen."

* * *

Ichigo has headphones over his ears with loud music blaring to be able to ignore the voices of any family members or friends who see fit to crash his life when he just wants to be left alone.

_Plus Rukia could be watching. I wonder if she watches when I'm in the shower…I want her to know I wasn't lying when I told her not seeing her didn't make me happy. I'm such an idiot, why didn't I say more? Much more?_

He wishes he had. He's been moping around ever since she disappeared from his sight, constantly sighing at the lack of meaningful words spoken between them just before she faded from his sight.

_Why didn't I grab her and hug her? Why didn't I at least do that?_

But he already knows. If he'd done that, he'd be kicking himself in the ass for not kissing her.

"It feels like I'm being punished for doing the right thing." Ichigo grumbles under his breath during the moment of quiet as one song ends and another begins.

Ichigo feels air come in the room as his window opens, and he turns his back to it, not wanting company, so he puts his hands up to his headphones, pressing them against his ear, grateful for the fact that the music is getting more loud with each passing second due to the nature of its genre.

"Kurosaki-san." Urahara speaks very loudly due to the fact that he can tell how loud Ichigo's music is, but the kid doesn't even look at him to acknowledge him.

Urahara can hear Isshin chuckling from outside, and he lets out a small grumble before he tries again.

'Kurosaki-san!" Still nothing.

"You already knew you'd have to force him!" Isshin calls out with laughter in his voice and Urahara grabs his hat.

"So I did. Destructive Art Number Four, White Lightning!" Urahara yells out next and he destroys Ichigo's headphones with Ichigo finally jumping to his feet shaking the burning earphones off his head.

"What in the hell is wrong with you?" Ichigo roars angrily as he taps his head to make sure it isn't on fire and Urahara takes a deep breath.

"What has you so troubled, Kurosaki-san?" Urahara asks, taking a comfortable seat at Ichigo's desk chair.

Ichigo glares daggers at the man but hold back from punching him upside the head since the man obviously has the advantage with his powers still fully intact.

_Unlike me…_

"Could it be…that you've lost your ability to fight hollow? Or is it that you've lost your ability to see Kuchiki-san? Which is it?" Urahara asks, but Ichigo still doesn't answer even though his eyes give him away.

"Rukia…" The words come out in a whisper but not as an answer, more of a mantra.

"Or is it both? More of one than the other perhaps?" Urahara asks next and Ichigo just continues glaring refusing to speak. "Speak up, Kuchiki-san is here too." Urahara bluffs, and Ichigo's eyes get wide as his head swivels from left to right trying to place where Rukia is at in his room.

"Where is she?" Ichigo asks excitedly, and Urahara laughs.

"I was just kidding. She's not here, she's in Soul Society of course." Urahara says and then he gets a look from Ichigo that worries him despite the fact that the kid's lost his powers. He looks murderous.

"Get out. Now." Ichigo says in a low voice and he doesn't even notice his father's muffled laughter from outside because he's so focused on Urahara.

"I just wanted your attention Kurosaki-san. Now that I have it, let me give you the good news." Urahara says just as Ichigo reaches back to swing on him, and Ichigo pauses.

"What good news?" Ichigo asks suspiciously, and Urahara holds up his hands in a submissive manner.

"You believe you have lost your Shinigami powers, but what if I told you I know how to get them back for you?" Urahara asks and Ichigo looks at him with disbelief in his eyes.

"That's impossible. Zangetsu told me-"

"Zangetsu was unaware that I'd developed a way to make it happen." Urahara interrupts, and Ichigo puts his hand back to his side.

"Really?" Ichigo asks, and Urahara nods his head yes but holds up two fingers which makes Ichigo hold his breath.

"Yes. But there are two things you need to know. The original method I developed took twenty years to get the power to recover. You however won't have to wait so long. You only have to wait two years for your power to recover!" Urahara says but Ichigo doesn't look too cheered up by that notion.

"I was hoping you'd say three to six days…you know, like how you sped up how to gain a bankai…" Ichigo says looking depressed, and Urahara laughs at him.

"Two years is nothing in comparison to what you were thinking ten minutes ago right?" He asks, and Ichigo begrudgingly agrees with the man.

"When do we begin?"

* * *

"Rukia! That idiot is a complete mess without you!" Renji roars right into Rukia's face, and she winces at the intensity of his words.

"I already know that Renji, it's practically unbearable for me to see him like this, that's why I asked you to check on him for me." Rukia says with annoyance, and Renji just shakes his head in amazement.

"I've never seen him look so pathetic-" He's cut off by Rukia's hand coming around and slapping him across the face with much force behind her effort.

"I won't tolerate a negative word said about him in my presence, Renji."

"Damn it! That fucking hurt!"

"Good. That's what I was aiming for." Rukia says, rubbing the sting out of her hand.

"You aren't doing a whole hell of a lot better than he is," Renji says angrily but he takes a big jump back in case she decides to swing on him again.

"At least I'm not closed up in my room sulking day in and out." Rukia defends herself, and Renji just rolls his eyes.

"Sure. Instead you're just walking around in pain, working hard to try and take your mind off of him, knowing that eighty years can fly by if you just keep busy, right?" Renji asks her, and Rukia frowns that he pegged her dead on.

"Shut up Renji." Rukia says instead of disagreeing or agreeing and Renji sighs irritably.

"Would you cheer up if I told you that you won't have to wait nearly that long? That the damned shop keeper down there has a way to get Ichigo's power back in just two years?" Renji asks, and the look on Rukia's face is enough for an answer.

"Tell me you're not joking Renji, because if you are, it's a bad one." Rukia warns him and Renji holds up his hands.

"I'd have to be insane to tell a joke like that. Settle down, tiger!" Renji's words have quite the effect on Rukia though.

"So…Ichigo will be nineteen when we next see each other?" Rukia asks quietly, with a small smile playing on her lips, and Renji nods, happy to see she's finally showing some emotion.

"Yeah. So cheer up damn it." Renji says, and Rukia gives him a happy smile.

"Thanks, Renji."

"Now apologize for slapping me." Renji orders her, and Rukia frowns at him.

"Don't make me hit you again."

* * *

_One year, three hundred and sixty four days later…_

* * *

"I feel like I'm eighty." Ichigo complains as Urahara is running around him with some strange machine checking his vitals and whatnot.

"You've been working out, haven't you Kurosaki-san?" Urahara asks, and Ichigo is able to keep from blushing even though he's rather embarrassed.

"Just trying to keep busy and be ready for when my powers return. I can't believe tomorrow is the day I finally get them back." Ichigo says, and Urahara grins at him.

"Remember the day I told you that I could get them back for you and I lied to you about Kuchiki-san being in the room?" Urahara asks, and Ichigo nods.

"Yeah."

"It's true she wasn't there, but someone else was, and I'm sure Kuchiki-san will be coming to greet you as a result of that." Urahara says with a smile and Ichigo's eyes widen.

"Who was there?"

"Abarai Renji." Urahara says, and Ichigo's face lights up.

"Then Rukia definitely knows."

"Of course she does!" Urahara agrees, and Ichigo can feel his heart racing.

_It's been a lonely two years without her!_

"What time should I come over?" Ichigo asks, and Urahara grins at him.

"The afternoon. I want to sleep in." Urahara says with a smile and he can tell Ichigo wants to punch him.

"Can't you wake up early for once in your life?" Ichigo asks, and Urahara holds up a hand.

"Don't be selfish. We have to wait to the afternoon because we started the process in the afternoon the first day. Anytime earlier than the afternoon will be too early." Urahara says quickly and Ichigo's eyes narrow as though he smells a big fat lie.

"Don't let me find out you lied." Ichigo warns the man and Urahara laughs.

"No matter how strong you've managed to get as a Shinigami, you can never defeat me. I have way too many tricks up my sleeve," Urahara assures Ichigo and the nineteen year old man inwardly agrees.

"Who said anything about defeat? You would still experience pain though." Ichigo says with finality, and Urahara rolls his eyes.

"Don't threaten the man helping you." Urahara instructs him, and Ichigo lets out a sigh.

"You're right, sorry."

* * *

Ichigo can hardly believe how emotional he feels. His hand goes to the hilt of his zanpakutou, and he feels like he's going to cry tears of happiness but he doesn't.

"Nice to have you back, old man." Ichigo says quietly, marveling at the sound of Zangetsu's voice within his mind once more.

Ichigo looks around the area underneath Urahara's shop, but no Shinigami have appeared in his vision.

"They're not here yet," Urahara says breezily, and Ichigo gives him a nod of the head.

"Thanks. For everything." Ichigo says earnestly, and Urahara bows his head in return.

"It's the very least I could do considering what you did to help with Aizen in the first place. Go ahead and swing your sword. I want to see if your powers have returned to the same point they were when you left off." Urahara says, and Ichigo nods.

He pulls Zangetsu off his back and lets it slice through the air, releasing the biggest Getsuga Tenshou he can in shikai without using the final version.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo roars, and Urahara's eyes widen as Ichigo manages to do a fairly decent job of destroying everything that lay in front of him including some of the painted blue sky, which he mentally notes Jinta and Ururu will have to repaint or it will bug the hell out of him.

"Just as planned! Looks like your power didn't dry up at all!" Urahara says, and Ichigo lets out a sound of disgust at those words.

"Even if it had, I wouldn't blame you." Ichigo says, and he doesn't understand why Urahara looks so amused at his answer.

Their talk is interrupted by a nostalgic but familiar sensation.

_The gates are opening! Rukia!_

Ichigo is up like a shot, out of the underground area beneath the shop and into the shop itself. He practically mows down Tessai in his haste to get out of the shop completely.

He can feel it. The familiar feeling that is Rukia. He also feels Renji, and some other familiar reiatsu.

He zooms towards their location and he makes it while they're still exiting the tunnel.

"Rukia!" Ichigo shouts, and he doesn't slow down as he heads for her.

Rukia's eyes widen as Ichigo scoops her up and ditches the rest of the Shinigami who came to welcome him back in favor of a private reunion with Rukia.

"Ichigo! What are you doing?" Rukia squeals, and Ichigo holds her close against his body, landing on the ground and pulling her close to him in a big bear hug, tight as he can.

"I'm doing what I should have done two years ago, and I'm not done yet." Ichigo tells her before giving her an extra squeeze which gets her to exhale from having the breath squeezed out of her.

His words have her heart racing, not to mention their closeness. She never dreamed their reunion might be like this. She thought she'd have to kick him around a little before he stopped gawking at her.

_I guess he's grown up a bit._

Ichigo pulls back and leans down to kiss her, and Rukia is stunned into stillness as his lips land on her own slightly parted ones.

_Or maybe he's grown up a lot!_

His tongue slides into her mouth kissing her as passionately as could be. When he finally pulls away, she's having a really hard time catching her breath.

"Rukia…life these past two years, without you has been utterly unacceptable. You're never getting away from me again." He warns her, and Rukia is just stunned. Unable to speak or respond to his intensity, but not willing to do anything that might stop this magical moment either.

She finally nods her head mutely and Ichigo gives her a sexy little smile.

_I haven't ever been this happy before. Life without you really is unacceptable._


End file.
